Camp Perry, Ohio– September 2024– SSG Shane Butler, 33, of Fortson, GA, inched out the overall win in the National Trophy Individual (NTI) Match at the 2024 National Trophy Rifle Matches – reaching a score of 497-31X, just one point above the second place competitor.
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He arrived at the National Matches, conducted annually by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), humbly – without any particular ambitions except remaining diligent in his craft.
“My goals weren’t to win, specifically,” he said. “My goals were to do certain things inside of matches,” he said.
The right shot calls, smooth trigger pulls – it was the culmination of the little things that kept him on track.
The conditions proved to be a challenge for Butler and the rest of the competitors on the line on the day of the NTI. Wind and rain hammered the range, but, despite the elements, Butler stuck to his process and went back to the 600-yard line, the final stage of the NTI, having only dropped two points.
The rain began to pour as he fired his final 20 shots, remaining calm with each trigger pull. He ended with only one shot outside of the 10-ring and an incredible aggregate score.
After his firing was done for the day, he went to the pits to pull targets, feeling confident yet remaining unsure of how he compared to the other talented competitors on the line.
Then, it became clear.
“My teammates on the range were texting me, “You did it! You won!” and I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “It was an amazing feeling.”
Butler is currently a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU), joining the team in 2022 after having previously spent three years as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps team. According to Butler, it’s his teammates who lift him toward success.
“I owe it to my team,” he said. “No one comes out here and does it for themselves. Many people behind them help them along the way.”
“Even though I’m the one pulling the trigger and making the decisions – all of that wouldn’t be as centered if I didn’t have the support of my team,” he added. “Even our armorers – nobody can see them out here doing their work. So, credit goes to them as well.”
Butler says he leans on his teammates when he’s having rough days – when he’s not shooting exactly the way he wants to be shooting.
“They’re there to pick me up and lighten my day. You’ve got to get your head back into it,” he said. “Instead of being down on what happened, we end up talking about how we can make it better going back – how I can make it better for the next yard line, the next shot, the next match. It’s always the next time that I can make it better.”
As he received his plaque at the National Trophy Rifle Awards Ceremony in front of his peers, he was reminded of those past champions who paved the way for him and continue to inspire him in his career.
“I’ve looked up to so many along the way – Ben Cleland, Brandon Green, Tyrel Cooper, Lance Dement – they all walked that stage before me. So, to be able to do the same was amazing,” he said.
“We have an entire wall in our office, the Hall of Fame – to be able to share that spot with all the people that have done it before me, that’s a big deal for me,” he said. “To follow in those footsteps and be on my way to doing the same thing – I hope that one day somebody talks about me that way.”
After his win, Butler talked to his family back home and told them the news. They were proud of everything he had worked to accomplish, with his eight-year-old daughter even calling him “Champion Daddy.”
“I told her to quit doing that because people think that I make her do that,” he joked. “But I think it’s the cutest thing ever. She’s super excited about what I accomplished.”
And she’s not the only one.
“My wife is another huge supporter of mine,” he said with a smile. “Yard line by yard line, she’s getting text message updates from me. Some are good, some are not so good, you know, but she’s there.”
“I’m just trying to set the best example for my kids to follow,” he went on. “Whether they shoot or not, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m just trying to set the example to achieve your goals and chase your dreams.”
“For my daughter to be super proud and happy and excited like that, to me, that makes me feel like I’m on the right track of setting that example.”
Finding second in the NTI was SFC Amanda Elsenboss, 35, of Williamsburg, VA. For her performance, SFC Elsenboss earned the National Guard Association Trophy as well as the Women’s Rifle Trophy. Claiming third and the Nathan Hale Trophy as the high civilian was Matthew Wood, 43, of Elkins, AR, with a score of 494-18X.
High junior and recipient of the Golden Eagle Trophy was Anna Behnke, 17, of Black Creek, WI, with a score of 490-13X – finishing 23rd out of 757 participants.
Also giving outstanding performances on the firing line was Justin Utley, 39, of Mineola, TX, who earned the Alice Bull Trophy as the top civilian of the President’s Rifle/NTI Aggregate for the fourth time over his career, with a score of 790-24X. Utley went on to claim the coveted Mountain Man Trophy, which also includes his overall score in the National Trophy Team event.
Find a complete list of results of the 2024 National Trophy Rifle and National Games Matches at https://ct.thecmp.org/24NMRifleResults. Photos of all events of the 2024 National Matches may be viewed and downloaded for free at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f456222492.
– – Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.
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