WAKULLA COUNTY, FL — Emiliano Cadena and Parker Smith, two Wakulla County 4H students, have secured 2 of the 4 spots on the Florida 4H shotgun team heading to the National 4H Shooting Sports Championships in Nebraska.
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The two earned their spots after competing in the Florida 4H State Shotgun Match, where both earned high marks. Parker got first place in trap, and Cadena earned third in skeet as well as fourth overall shooter.
"It's really big for me. I feel like I've actually done something with my life, and I can look back years later and be like I did something, actually. I represented a small little county in Florida, got third place in state, and then now I'm going to nationals," Cadena said.
"It's a good feeling to finally be able to go and compete at a bigger level," said Smith.
The two will compete in sporting clays, trap and skeet — different shotgun events — against more than 100 competitors from across the country.
"So sporting clays is just an, you get from like 12 stations to 15 stations, or even 20 stations, you gotta shoot all the way through, and that's just that one's just how many you can hit throughout each station, and then all the misses, and then all the hits, but for skeet it's kind of the same way, but you get different stations around, trap is also same way, but it's just sometimes they score a little differently," Cadena said.
Smith said he is excited to compete at this level because of how much he loves the sport.
"I like it because it teaches me how to trust myself more and not get so much in my head. And for the future, it helps if I wanted to like go hunting or something. Like, it helps me learn how to do all kinds of stuff like that," Smith said.
Cadena's dad said the two have grown in their skills and as young men by being in the sharpshooters club.
Both Cadena and Smith said they are honored to represent not just the state, but Wakulla County.
Wakulla County 4H said it is excited for Cadena and Smith and looks forward to seeing them compete.
The competition runs June 21-26 in Nebraska.
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