Dennis Crenwelge is lifted by his Grapetown Shooting Club teammates to the strains of “Er Lebe Hoch” (“May He Live High” shortly after being crowned the centerfire king Sunday evening to cap the 119th Annual Gillespie County Bundes Schuetzenfest. Some 106 competitors from the county’s six shooting clubs were drawn to the annual contest, hosted by the Tivydale Shooting Club at its range. — Standard-Radio Post/Lisa Treiber-Walter
By Lisa Treiber-Walter —
Double shoot-offs were needed to decide this year’s Schuetzenfest royalty and, when the final shots rang out, Dennis Crenwelge and Fred Grimes were kings.
Crenwelge was crowned centerfire “Schuetzen-koenig” after turning in a score of 96 in the shoot-off to oust contender John Klaerner, who trailed two points behind with a 94.
The pair had led the field of 106 shooters at the conclusion of the regular contest with a tying score of 98 to force the showdown.
In the .22 rimfire contest, Grimes and Daniel Marquardt turned in twin scores of 89 to force their post- shoot duel. Grimes then claimed the rimfire crown by punch an 84 in his target, while Marquardt’s efforts yielded an 80.
Under the coordination of the Gillespie County Schuetzenbund, the annual countywide competition for six local shooting clubs was hosted by the Tivydale Shooting Club at its Texas Hills Sporting Range, on FM 2093 (Tivydale Road.)
The centerfire king’s trophy was donated by Stroeher and Son/Stroeher and Olfers, while the revolving trophy was donated by Fritztown Diesel.
The rimfire king’s trophy was donated by Security State Bank and Trust, while the revolving trophy was made possible by Moellering Construction.
Grapetown Shooting Club won the day in both centerfire and rimfire team competitions.
To win the centerfire contest for a second consecutive year, shooters Eddie Behrends, John Klaerner, Charlie Whiten, Darryl Smith, Andy Jacoby, Jamie Worrell and Howard Worrell combined for the winning score of 557.
Second-place was claimed by the Hubertus Shooting Club, whose members shot a score just six points behind the leader at 551. Other clubs finished in the following order: Bear Creek, 544; Tivydale, 537; Scharfschuetzen, 536, and Baron’s Creek, 525.
The centerfire team revolving trophy was donated and presented by Edward Stroeher.
To claim the rimfire team trophy, Grapetown’s shooters combined for a winning score of 251. Contributing were Ricky Ottmers, Sandra Jacoby, Marianna Behrends and Gerald Beckmann.
Running a close second, just two points behind, was the Hubertus Shooting Club, who had a total score of 249. Other teams finished in the following order: Bear Creek, 240; Tivydale, 230, and Baron’s Creek, 215. (Scharfschuetzen did not enter the rimfire division.)
The Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post donated the rimfire division’s revolving team trophy.
Donating the medals for the two kings as well as the top teams was Arrowhead Bank.
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