GREENVILLE — For Alia Hunt, winning the 2026 Miss Annie Oakley Shooting Contest was more than a personal achievement — it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream rooted in family tradition and a direct connection to one of America’s most celebrated sharpshooters.
Hunt, an incoming senior at Greenville Senior High School and the daughter of Chris and Dawn Hunt, captured the title after completing all 15 rounds of competition without missing a single shot. She successfully hit the target from 95 feet to claim the championship during the annual Annie Oakley Festival.
The victory came one year after Hunt finished as second runner-up in the competition.
“I do have pretty much the exact same board in my backyard that I practiced with,” Hunt said. “I am very proud of myself.”
The title carries special significance for Hunt, who is Annie Oakley’s great-great-great-great-niece. Her father, Chris Hunt, is a great-great-great-nephew of the legendary sharpshooter.
“This is my fifth year,” Hunt said. “I did it when I was 12, and I took a break when I was 13, and then I’ve been back ever since.”
Growing up surrounded by Annie Oakley’s history inspired Hunt to continue competing until she earned the festival’s top honor.
“Just the fact that I’ve grown up around Annie Oakley,” Hunt said. “She is my four-time great-aunt, and my dad’s very involved with it, same with my grandpa. I’ve just always grown up around it.”
Now wearing the Miss Annie Oakley crown, Hunt said she is excited to represent both the festival and her famous relative throughout the coming year.
“I’m glad to be able to walk around, see the people, make people feel welcome and represent Annie,” she said.
Hunt’s success extended beyond the shooting range. She also won the 2026 Annie Oakley costume contest on the opening night of the competition, wearing clothing inspired by photographs of Oakley.
“I have pictures of Annie in one of our rooms,” Hunt said. “This is kind of an outfit that she was wearing, and the pins that show shooting are very special to me.”
Shelley Soward, a member of the Annie Oakley Shooting Committee, said Hunt’s dedication and family connection embody the purpose of the competition.
“The fact that she came out here to do the competition so many years later, that’s keeping Annie alive,” Soward said. “She started when she was 12, and the first year she was in it, she got the costume winner that year. So she knows a little bit about Annie.”
Soward noted that members of the Hunt family have spent years researching their connection to Annie Oakley, making this year’s victory especially meaningful as the community commemorates the 100th anniversary of Oakley’s death.
The competition featured a dramatic finish for the runner-up positions. Sisters Violet and Hadassah Evans advanced to a shoot-off after both successfully hitting the target on their first attempts. The distance was increased by five feet, where Violet connected with the target while Hadassah narrowly missed, giving Violet first runner-up honors and Hadassah second runner-up.
For Hunt, however, there was little drama. She completed the entire competition with a perfect performance, connecting on all 15 shots without a miss.
As Miss Annie Oakley, Hunt will represent the Annie Oakley Festival throughout the next year at parades, community celebrations and special events.
Hunt received $300 in prize money and a necklace donated by Wieland Jewelers. Violet Evans earned $200 as first runner-up, while Hadassah Evans received $100 as second runner-up. Hunt also collected an additional $100 for winning the costume contest.
Wieland Jewelers has long supported the Miss Annie Oakley Shooting Contest by donating the winner’s necklace. The Rose Post provided the wreath used during the annual Pilgrimage to Annie Oakley’s Grave following the finals and also donated the contestants’ corsages. The Annie Oakley Center Foundation contributed financial support for the contest’s cash prizes.
