By Dale Cory
Donnelly, Walcheske and Dvornek were the names engraved onto the main trophies when the Ponoka Fish and Game Club held its annual Rifleman’s Rodeo at the Lake Pofianga shooting range northwest of Ponoka the Labour Day long weekend.
The 44th annual event featured a number of shooting events for adults and youths, ranging from a pig on a track 80 yards from the shooting gallery, to a bear target 270 yards up a hill and surrounded by a forest.
In the senior men’s division, Phil Donnelly earned 43 points to narrowly edge Ken Hellervic and Melvin Rein, who garnered 41 points each during the two-day event.
Katie Walcheske and Arlene Moussa both finished the ladies’ competition with 34 points, one better than Phyllis Walcheske. Katie was declared the division winner after a shootout.
In the junior division, Kendall Dvornek earned top spot with 33 points, six better than Samara Moussa and eight ahead of Katrina Nabozniak.
In the family category, the team of Bryan Walcheske and Samara Moussa took top spot with 67 points. Katrina Nabozniak and Rick Kuss came in second with 51 points, while Tevin and Neil Ferris finished with 47 points.
In the buddies’ event, Ken Hellervic and Melvin Rein earned 76 points for a first-place finish. Bryan Walcheske and Kevin Walcheske came second with 72 points, while Eric Brown and Kaitlyn Neddo had 66 points.
Richard Huckstep took the iron sites competition with 28 points, a single point ahead of Ivar Hellervic and Phil Donnelly.
In other shooting events for adults, Al Albers won the balloon shoot and the crow shoot, Melvin Rein took top spot in the black powder competition, and the pistol shoot was won by Reesha Dedio.
In youths’ events, Nolan ready took the 11 and under .22 shoot event with 104 points, Katrina Nabozniak came in second with 89 points, and Tamara Ferris was third with 80 points. In the 11-and-over .22 shoot, Dallon had 102 points to take top spot ahead of Josh Nabozniak, who had 101 points, and Alex, who finished with 99 points.
The under-11 balloon shoot winner was Tamara Ferris, while Braden was the winner in the over-11 balloon shoot.