Wanfried's shooting festival: Jan Karaman becomes the new king in the family frenzy!

Wanfried's shooting festival: Jan Karaman becomes the new king in the family frenzy!

The shooting festival in Wanfried once again showed what real tradition means. After a two-year pandemic break, the event was able to take place in all its glory from July 21st to 23rd, 2025. The highlight of the festival was the exciting proclamation of the new shooting king. Jan Karaman, who has been a member of the Wanfried shooting club for 18 years, followed in his family's footsteps and secured the title of shooting king. His uncle was king in 2000, and his brother was allowed to hold the same title in 2019.

Karaman, a passionate carpenter, demonstrated skill not only in shooting, but also in building the traditional shooting bird. Together with Horst Lorentz, he worked on this wooden work of art for almost 90 hours until the body fell after a total of 1,607 shots. Particularly noteworthy: Jan shot the bird's head while he had already fired his weapon. In doing so, he achieved an impressive achievement and secured a place in Wanfried's history. “He shot the bird”, this saying rightly has a special place in customs, as the German Rifle Association explains in its traditions.

The young shooters and the new King's Cup

In addition to Karaman, Hannes Vilmar was also crowned young rifle king. In order to motivate the youngsters, a new King's Cup was introduced for the young shooters. Friedrich Gebhard, who was the young shooter king last year, secured the first trophy. The youngest shooters didn't miss out either: Alfons Hoffmann won the blowgun category, while Leo Sohl won the laser rifle tournament (8-12 years).

The festival not only offered exciting competitions, but also a varied program. From a celebratory parade to a concert in the square to a party night in the festival tent, everything was on offer. Erol Cengiz from the festival committee was pleased with the high number of visitors that the festival attracted this year. According to tradition, shooting festivals attract great attention throughout the country - especially in the Rhineland - and combine sociability with sporting competition.

There was also a family party for the very young visitors, which made children's hearts beat faster, while the adults were able to end the evening in a friendly atmosphere with a glass of beer. The parade of the riflemen and the official proclamation of the kings in front of the Schützenhaus were a particular highlight and were very well received by the guests.

In summary, the Wanfried Schützenfest 2025 was a harmonious mix of tradition, sport and community. With a new shooting king from our own ranks and many smiling faces, we can only hope that this tradition will continue in the coming years. So if you are looking for a unique festival with a family atmosphere, you shouldn't miss the shooting festival in Wanfried.

For more information about such traditional festivals and what they represent, it is worth taking a look at the explanation of the German Rifle Association.