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10-year-old Shyanne Roberts, a nationally sponsored competitive shooter from Franklin Township, testified against the proposed limit on magazine rounds at the statehouse on Monday, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. (File Photo by Joe Warner/South Jersey Times)

It started with one article. Then two. Shyanne Roberts, then 9, drew statewide media attention after she testified in March before the state Assembly's Law and Public Safety Committee hearing against a bill reducing the legal limit of rounds in a firearm's magazine.

The bill was vetoed by Governor Christie in July, but focus on Shyanne's amateaur competitive shooting career and outspoken opposition to gun control measures continues to swell.

It took a tragedy in Arizona — where in August, a 9-year-old girl from New Jersey accidentally shot and killed an instructor at a shooting range when she lost control of an Uzi — to propel Shyanne to the national level, as she tried to be a living example that children can handle guns safely.

She appeared on Fox and Friends twice in three days for a special about kids and guns, and was featured by CNN in an October article that drew more than 4.5 million page views. Most recently, national news show Nightline visited Shyanne and her family at their Franklin Township home and followed her to Georgia to watch her compete with masters in the sport in Brownell's Lady 3-Gun Pro Am Challenge for a report to be aired sometime before Thanksgiving.

More and more unsolicited sponsorships came pouring in — she has well over 20 sponsors now — as well as custom weapons and supplies.

"It's been absolutely unbelievable," said her father, Dan Roberts, a weapons instructor and gun rights advocate. "Every time I think 'Okay, we've reached a plateau,' another rocket booster kicks in."

Shyanne Roberts, 10, filmed by a Dateline crew as she competes in Brownell's Lady 3-Gun Pro-Am Challenge in Georgia last month. Roberts was the youngest competitor and has gained national attention for her shooting and advocacy against gun-control measures. (Photo provided)

He said he thinks it's the fact Shyanne goes against most stereotypes of gun enthusiasts — male, middle-aged, unintelligent, scary, etc. — that draws attention from those who are fairly unfamiliar with shooting and weapons. And for those who grew up with guns as a part of their everyday life, like many states in the south and midwest, she's someone they can identify with.

"This is actual normal Americana, kids using guns regularly, safely and having fun doing it," said Roberts. "For most of the country, it's like 'Yeah, this is not a big deal.'"

Not to say all the attention has been positive.

Articles and features on her drew criticism from gun control advocates, arguing Shyanne is an exception to the norm and children and weapons don't mix in the majority of circumstances.

"When you hand a child a firearm, you are forcing them to make a life and death decision that they are incapable of, and never should be responsible for," said Bryan Miller, leader of a faith-based, anti-gun violence group called Heeding Gods Call, back in August.

Roberts, however, is pleased at most of the coverage — he did bristle at the CNN article's implication he coached Shyanne in what to say in interviews, stating "there is a distinction" between reminding her of what she wanted to say and writing a script for her — and lets the criticism roll off their backs.

And even though Shyanne finished last in the Georgia competition, where she was the youngest competitor, they still see it as a victory.

"That's not what we went down there for. We wanted to go down there so she could compete in her first national 3 gun match, learn from the best in the country and prove that kids can use guns safely at a very high level and have a heck of a lot of fun doing it," said Roberts.

Shyanne was just thrilled to meet female competitors she's looked up to, and said that she's looking forward to her new season starting, traveling more and attending the NRA convention in Nashville in April. She shrugs off the media attention, and insists she's never really nervous in front of the camera. Still, she said, she never expected it.

"I feel shocked," said Shyanne quickly. "It's just amazing."

Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@southjerseymedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.