Oklahoma Farm Report intern Presley Strickland visited with Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Coordinator Holly Carroll about the organization’s annual Shotgun Shoot fundraiser, which raises money for the Oklahoma Foundation for Agriculture while bringing together Farm Bureau members, youth and supporters from across the state.
Carroll said the event was created as a way to engage members and the community through a family-friendly activity while supporting agricultural education. After hosting a golf tournament for several years, the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee decided to try something different.
“We were looking for a way to engage members and people in the community with a fun activity and just a way to raise some money for our Foundation for Agriculture,” Carroll said. “The shotgun shoot has been an excellent way for us to get a different crowd involved.”
Carroll said one of the event’s biggest strengths is that it welcomes shooters of every experience level, from first-time participants to highly competitive collegiate athletes.
“Everyone likes to come out, from the novice shooter to those collegiate kids who hit 99% of their targets,” Carroll said. “It’s something that everybody can come participate in and have fun.”
To make the competition accessible for everyone, organizers offer youth, collegiate and open divisions. Carroll said the different divisions allow families, competitive teams and recreational shooters to all enjoy the event together.
“We wanted it to be a fun event and a family-friendly event,” Carroll said. “We have teams made up of dads and sons, moms and sons, and a wide variety of participants. We wanted a place for those youth members, collegiate teams and community supporters who may not shoot every day.”
Since its beginning, Carroll said the fundraiser has continued to grow. What started as a single open division has expanded as interest from youth shooting teams increased and county Farm Bureau organizations began sponsoring teams.
“We’ve seen the event grow and grow, and each year we’re just astounded with the amount of generosity that comes from this event,” Carroll said.
Participants can expect a full day of competition followed by lunch and awards. Carroll said shooters rotate through stations in a shotgun-start format before gathering at the pavilion to recognize top teams, individual shooters and even the last-place finishers.
“We’ll feed you lunch, make sure you’re well hydrated and finish with our awards,” Carroll said. “We typically always have a little something for those that come in last, too.”
Community members who do not participate in the shooting competition are still encouraged to attend. Carroll said supporters can purchase lunch tickets, buy raffle tickets for firearms and enjoy the fellowship throughout the morning.
“It’s a great way to come out, visit with us and still be a part of the event,” Carroll said.
Beyond the competition itself, Carroll said the Shotgun Shoot provides an opportunity for Farm Bureau members from across Oklahoma to strengthen relationships and build community.
“We’re trying to build that community that supports each other,” Carroll said. “We want a place where they can come, socialize, fellowship and continue to strengthen that community that they can call on when they need it.”
In addition to the Shotgun Shoot, Oklahoma Farm Bureau has a full slate of youth-focused events planned this fall, including the Young Farmers Conference, Capitol Camp, the organization’s annual convention and one of the state’s largest livestock judging contests, which brings more than 2,500 students to the Oklahoma State Fair each year.
Carroll said investing in youth remains one of Farm Bureau’s highest priorities because they represent the future of agriculture.
“We know that the youth are our future, and the only way we can continue to fight for agriculture in the future is to start now by educating the younger generation,” Carroll said. “We have to build that group of advocates that will carry the flag into the next generation.”
Through Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the Oklahoma Foundation for Agriculture, Carroll said the organization is committed to connecting consumers with where their food and fiber come from while inspiring future agricultural leaders.
“We have to start young to get them involved, get them excited about agriculture and help them build their passion to tell the story of agriculture,” Carroll said.
