Local youth took home a number of awards at the Manitoba Junior Rifle Clubs 64th Annual Championship.

165 kids from all over Manitoba participated in the Championship, hosted in Winkler earlier this summer with 28 kids from the Winkler Club. Winkler received 15 trophies overall, including the Manitoba Champion Trophy in .22 (overall) and the Air Rifle Champions Trophy (overall).

George Doell, the President of the Winkler Jr Rifle Club, notes the age of the Club ranges between 9 and 18. He says everything they teach begins with safety.

"We're always taught if there's a rifle in the home, everybody should know how to use a rifle, handle it safely," he says, adding there shouldn't be any fear involved when handling a gun.

"In shooting, there are three S's: safety, sportsmanship, and shooting," Doell says, noting all three aspects are taught together before shooting can start.

Here is a list of the other awards:

Intermediate 2nd Division: Jackie Pankiw 277 0X

Novice Individual Air Rifle: Gabriel Reimer 288 4X

Marksman Team Air Rifle: Eric Warms, Seth Friesen, Rhett Giesbrecht, & Gabriel Reimer 1080 7X

Sharpshooter Team .22: Eric Warms, Gabriel Reimer, Jay Froese, Rhett Giesbrecht, Seth Friesen, & Willem Toews 1436 52X

Overall Individual Air Rifle: Gabriel Reimer 397 4X

Marksman Individual Air Rifle: Seth Friesen 388 2X

Male Champion .22: Gabriel Reimer 400 11X

Overall Air Rifle Team Champions: Gabriel Reimer, Seth Friesen, Willem Toews, Eric Warms 1532 6X

Best Behaved on the Shooting Range: Alex Reimer, Gabriel Reimer, Willem Toews, Rhett Giesbrecht, Seth Friesen, Eric Warms

Beginner Team Champions .22: Mara- Jade Lee, Beate Harder, James Loewen, Kale Giesbrecht, Luke Trinke, Keelyn L’Heureux 1867 18X

Beginner Individual .22: Luke Trinke 368 2X

Novice Individual .22: Edwin Ediger 399 11X

Best Beginner Written Test: Isaiah Loewen, Jayden L’Heureux, Wyatt Giesbrecht, Jordan Dyck, Tyler Loewen, Evan Giesbrecht

Overall Team Champions .22: Willem Toews, Gabriel Reimer, Rhett Giesbrecht, Eric Warms, Seth Friesen, Alex Reimer 1976 46X

George Clavelle Gold Rifle Award Recognition for Outstanding Work with Manitoba Junior Rifle Program: Dave Doell