Kathryn Blankenship, a senior at Banner County High School, started shooting when she was 9 years old. She’s developed into one of the top high school shooters in the region, and in August she even won the top honor while competing against both boys and girls in the senior division at the Scotts Bluff County Fair. Placing high in competitions, however, isn’t the main reason Blankenship has developed a deep passion for shooting. She loves to shoot because of the enjoyment of it and also because of the ‘bonding time’ she gets to have with her dad, Joe Blankenship, whom she credits for making her the shooter she is today.
JEFF FIELDER Editor
HARRISBURG – Joe Blankenship rolled a soft mat onto his driveway before motioning for his daughter, Kathryn, who was 9 years old at the time, to come sit on the mat.
Seconds later, Joe surprised his daughter with a special gift – a pink, Crickett youth .22 rifle.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all,” said Kathryn, who’s now 17 and is a senior at Banner County High School. “That’s when my passion for shooting started.”
