Hat hosting 3D archery provincials

By JAMES TUBB on February 17, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

Watch your hats this weekend around the Cypress Centre this weekend.

The Medicine Hat Archery Club is hosting the 3D Archery Provincials this Friday to Sunday as they will get in their first shoot in two years.

Archery club president Dan David said they are all excited to get back shooting and supporting their club.

“It’s been a long time coming, we haven’t had any shoots for two years because of COVID and our club is struggling, so this is what we needed right now,” David said. “We’re just so happy to have this. We have people from all over the province coming, everyone is excited to get back into it again. It’s going to be a big deal for us.”

David says despite it being a provincial championship anyone is welcome to come shoot and have fun this weekend.

“There’s a lot of people there just to have fun and we set up great courses and have some raffles, prizes and giveaways,” David said. “It’s got something for everyone. We have a mini course for the peewees, there’s people there from five years old to 75.”

Registration has opened and anyone interested in registering can email an entry form to medhatarcheryclub@gmail.com.

For the first time in 30 years, David, the reigning provincial champion, will not be competing in the club’s own tournament. He is rehabbing an elbow injury he sustained while loading an elk he shot into his truck.

He said he’ll be back shooting at the end of the month. David said he is a little sad he’ll have to watch someone take his championship but he’s already looking toward next year.

“My competition is all coming and it’s just sad I can’t beat their asses because I own the provincial championship right now,” David said. “Someone is going to get it and next year I’m going to have to take it back.”

While the club is excited to be able to host a provincial shoot again, they’re also looking forward to raising money this weekend to keep things afloat. David said there are many different programs they offer that they want to ensure keep running.

“We have a youth program, adult lessons, a target league, a 3D league and two ranges. An indoor range and an outdoor range, we have a lot of facility,” David said. “Our club in Medicine Hat has more members than any other club in Alberta, including the big cities. We just have an active club, we put on the best shoots, we have a lot of programs that the other clubs don’t care to go that far, but we are all in. It’s been very successful and we want to keep it going.”

He said a big part of being able to put on events like this weekend’s is the support and help he gets from the club’s executive group of Hilary Blanchette, Kevin Elsdon, DaleAnn Briggs and “countless” other members. David says they’re all volunteers and they work had to make sure events like this happen.

“Our executive group is all volunteers and they work so hard to get this kind of stuff done and they have worked hard. I am the president of the club and I am so lucky to have these other people, it’s insane how much we get done and get along and try hard for the sport … without this group we wouldn’t be successful.”

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