Cravens Crowned New Schützenkönig

The 148th annual Round Top Schützenfest proved to be an exciting and entertaining day for the members of the Round Top Rifle Hall and their families.

The annual shooting contest for Round Top Rifle Association members was held on Sunday morning at 9 a.m.

Twenty-nine hopeful members signed up to shoot. Each contestant must shoot a .22 caliber rifle with open sights three times at a target 168 feet away. The goal is to hit a perfect bull’s eye each time which results a score of 36 points. The farther away your shot is from the bull’s eye the lower the count towards your total score. After a qualifying round, twenty-five members remained to shoot another three times in the competition round. JB Cravens, a Marine Corps veteran, had shot a perfect round of 36 in the qualifying round. He shot early in the competition round and again shot three bull’s eyes in a row for another perfect score. The members who shot after him tried in vain to match his perfect performance and force a shoot-off. When the last member shot, JB had prevailed to win his first Schützenkönig (Shooting King) title.

Later in the afternoon, members returned to the Hall with their families for a private social and dinner, entertained by the Round Top Brass Band. At 5 p.m., the Rifle Hall members conducted the traditional march into the Hall and formed a ring for the crowning ceremony. New Schützenkönig, JB Cravens, received a cedar crown from last year’s king John Wantland and a gold shooter’s pin from Rifle Association President Michael Sacks. He was then hoisted three times on the shoulders of sturdy Rifle Hall members. As tradition dictates, he then tapped an imported wooden keg of Paulaner German beer and proceeded to serve his guests.