LINCOLN, Neb. — Case Shane of Atkinson entered the trap shooting competition at the 2026 National High School Finals Rodeo unsure whether his score would be good enough to contend.
He left Lincoln as a national champion.
Shane captured the title after he and a competitor from Nevada each broke 198 of 200 targets during regulation. In the shoot-off, Shane broke all 10 targets to finish with a score of 208 and secure the championship.
“It’s kind of surreal. I’ve never really won nothing this important in my life, but it’s kind of awesome,” Shane told the Rural Radio Network. “I shot high school rodeo last year and got 12th in the nation. It’s just kind of awesome to come back and win it all, especially in my home state.”
The competition capped a year of qualifying events for Nebraska’s high school rodeo athletes. Shooters competed at events across the state before advancing to the Nebraska High School Rodeo Finals in Valentine. The top four qualified for the national competition.
At the National High School Finals Rodeo, competitors shot during a go-round before the top shooters advanced to the short go. Regulation targets were shot from the 16-yard line, while the shoot-off was held from the 20-yard line.
Shane said he remained consistent throughout the two-day competition but did not believe he had posted a championship score.
“I didn’t really think I was in it to win it, but I had shot pretty consistent over the two days,” Shane said. “I didn’t shoot 100 straight at all, so I didn’t think I had a score to win it.”
Once Shane learned he was tied for the lead, his mindset changed.
“I made it all this way. I might as well try to win it,” Shane said. “I shot 10 in a row. It was pretty awesome. I just had to lock it down the last two rocks.”
Nebraska enjoyed a strong showing throughout the trap shooting competition. Treyson Foral finished seventh, Blaine Frizzell placed eighth and Shane’s brother, Ian Shane, finished 18th. All four Nebraska shooters advanced to the short go.
The National High School Finals Rodeo brought more than 1,700 contestants from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico to Lincoln last week.
