International archery competition coming to area

By Bob Frye, Pittsburgh Tribune Review
It’s going to be raining arrows this week in Pennsylvania.
The International Bowhunting Association, a nearly 30-year-old organization dedicated to promoting archery, is bringing its world championship to the Keystone State for the first time. It will be at Seven Springs Mountain Resort near Somerset on Wednesday through Saturday.

It’s not quite the Olympics, but the event is expected to draw archers from more than 20 countries — from youngsters participating as cubs to “the best pros in the world” — to compete in more than 30 classes, all under real-world hunting conditions. There will be 24 courses featuring more than 400 3-D whitetail, black bear, turkey and mountain goat targets set up over the resort’s hills and woods.

The event — which offers $200,000 in cash and prizes — culminates in Saturday’s finals.

Along the way, there will be a daily bowhunter’s market featuring vendors and manufacturers showcasing “the newest and best,” a target auction, opening and closing ceremonies and more, all open to the public, said Association president Ken Watkins. Fans can walk the courses with competitors to follow the action.

You can see a full schedule at ibo.net/schedule_World
Outdoor.php.

“It’s pretty exciting. All the competitors are doing the same thing as the fans, walking around and checking out the new gear, talking to people, catching up with old friends, making new ones. There’s a whole atmosphere that goes with it,” Watkins said.

The decision to bring the championship to Pennsylvania was based in large part on the number of archers and bowhunters living here, he added.

That’s a large — and growing — number.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission sold more than 285,000 resident adult archery licenses last year. That was the highest total in more than a decade, according to information from press secretary Jerry Feaser.

Add in the junior and nonresident archers, and there were more than 300,000 bowmen and women last year in the woods.

Those archers can get involved at the championship, via the Seven Springs Bowhunters Open. Non-qualified shooters can compete in the two-day shoot — on the same courses as the world qualifiers — by registering at www.7springs.com.

It’s no wonder that Watkins is expecting this year’s championship to be a large and enthusiastic one.

“Pennsylvania does have a really strong archery representation, and a lot of bowhunters, so I would think we could see close to 2,000 competitors,” Watkins said. “As far as family, friends and fans, I think we could draw up to 5,000 people.”