Dawson David, of Norwood, had quite the summer in shooting sports for San Miguel Basin 4-H. David, who is 9 years old and a part of a multi-generational outfitting business, has grown up hunting, practicing shooting and harvesting his own food. During the San Miguel Basin Fair this summer, he took grand champion in the .22 rifle division. He outshot all of the juniors, intermediates and seniors. As a result, he advanced to the state fair in Pueblo.
The David family live outside of Norwood and have an outfitting company called Camp David. They’ve taken people out for mule deer and elk hunts for years. In this way, Dawson David has always been around the work. The family also had a meat locker in Montrose, and Dawson knows about skinning carcasses and more.
His mother, Alana David, said the family is indeed proud of the child and his talent.
“It’s his passion for sure, and has been. And, it’s very obvious that’s what he’s mean to do,” she said.
A member of 4 Stars Livestock, the young man traveled to the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo two weekends ago for the .22 competition. It’s been a while since any local kid had a shooting sports program, and it was only resurrected this past year. He’s one of the first in a very long time to travel and compete for the sport at the state fair too.
His mother told the Forum there was some confusion in having him in the right class at the state fair. (It was supposed to be the .22 hunter class, and he was accidentally entered into Olympic shooting instead.)
Alana David said the snafu wasn’t a big deal. Dawson David still got to participate a bit at the state fair and shoot a bit, and she said next year they will be better organized and ready.
Her son had a great attitude regardless and was happy to be in Pueblo as a state qualifier. He told the Forum it was a positive experience.
“It felt exciting. When I got to state, I thought, I’m coming back to do this again,” he said. “I want to win first in archery next year.”
Alana David added there are many talented kids in Norwood and the Nucla-Naturita area who are shooting. She thinks the local area could take a whole team to the state fair in the future.
Additionally, Jackson Garcia, in the intermediate division of 4-H and of the Norwood area, also in 4 Stars Livestock, traveled to the state fair this last weekend. He is the son of Jarred Garcia, the shooting sports coach, and he participated in the shotgun and skeet shooting challenge there. His mother, Amanda Garcia, said results had not been posted as of press time, but the young man did shoot a nine and a 12 at the state event.
And, Reece Elwood, also of 4 Stars Livestock, advanced to Pueblo for the beef shows there, after winning big at the San Miguel Basin Fair in July.
“My experience was good,” she said. “It was a very fun and successful trip. The competition was very difficult, like it always is.”
Elwood has gone to state for five years and has shown steers and breeding heifers there.
“I have only made sale at state one time prior to this, and it was my goal to make it this year. I ended up third in class and made sale,” she said. “My brother, Weston, also accepted an all-state livestock judging award for being in the Top 10 of the state. He was first in the junior division.”
4 Stars club leader Cimmy Alexander told the San Miguel Basin Forum she was proud of the competitors and their work this year.
“These kids continue to set their goals high and work hard to reach them,” she said. “When they do reach those, they set their goals even higher. It’s been fun to watch them excel.”
