Valencia County youth win state 4-H shooting titles, head to nationals

A Valencia County 4-H air rifle team won the state title in Raton and locked up a trip to nationals in Grand Island, Nebraska, after a strong showing at the 2026 New Mexico 4-H Shooting Sports Championships. The county sent 19 young shooters to the NRA Whittington Center for the April 30-May 3 meet, and seven competed in air rifle and smallbore.

The air rifle squad finished first overall, while the smallbore team placed third. In the individual air rifle results released by New Mexico 4-H, Cohen Ahner finished second and Allyson Marquez finished third on the event sheet. Kaylee Higginbotham was among the Valencia County shooters listed in the results, part of a roster that showed the county competing with depth rather than a single standout performance.

Valencia County shooters also turned in top-10 finishes in shotgun, muzzleloading and archery, underscoring how broad the local program has become. Youth from the Bandits, Country Camo and Baits, and Bullets and Bows clubs were among the competitors, giving the county representation from across its 4-H shooting community.

The results point to a program built on repeated practice, safety training and competition across multiple disciplines. New Mexico State University describes 4-H Shooting Sports as a youth-development program centered on firearm safety, responsibility, sportsmanship and self-discipline, and Valencia County Extension says county 4-H contests are held each May and June as part of a wider youth-skills program. In Valencia County, the sport is doing more than producing medals; it is sending local teenagers from county ranges to a national stage.