Any Senior Olympic Archery competitors on the forum? Tell me where you shoot and your experience please. Your age class ,scores shot, equipment choices, etc. looking forward to hearing from you!
Archeryoutlaw11
Senior Olympic Competitor
Part of your answer will be here.
There are icons (links) for the various years.
But it falls short of “connecting” the participants and their experiences.
I have been participating for the past decade in compound release.
The state level tournaments are a single 900 round format.
Nationals are a double 900 round format.
In my experience (luck of the draw) for most of the state tournaments, I’ve had good weather. A few have been in the rain.
Admittedly, again luck of the draw, both Nationals have been complicated by weather. One good day and one a bit more dicey.
Great chance to meet other folks and test your preparation and skills in a pleasant environment.
You have to qualify at the state level … place 1 through 4 or shoot better than a minimum performance score to qualify.
There are icons (links) for the various years.
But it falls short of “connecting” the participants and their experiences.
I have been participating for the past decade in compound release.
The state level tournaments are a single 900 round format.
Nationals are a double 900 round format.
In my experience (luck of the draw) for most of the state tournaments, I’ve had good weather. A few have been in the rain.
Admittedly, again luck of the draw, both Nationals have been complicated by weather. One good day and one a bit more dicey.
Great chance to meet other folks and test your preparation and skills in a pleasant environment.
You have to qualify at the state level … place 1 through 4 or shoot better than a minimum performance score to qualify.
I did the qualifications for the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh in Maryland in 2022 and the that actual games in 2023. These are 900 rounds--single in qualifications and double in the actual event. I shoot barebow (recurve). I had a lot of fun. It was a well run shoot. However, a double 900 round can be fatiguing, so prepare well with fluids and energy snacks.
This was my first attempt at outdoors. In my qualification, I shot a 591--on a really windy day (I was aiming in the blue ring at 7 O'clock just to keep my arrows in the bale as the wind coming over a ridge was lifting them up and sending them over the target). For the games, I shot 1199. I struggled on the first day and shot a 572. The second day I shot a 627. I got a bronze in my age group of four archers, missing the sliver by 6 points (after 180 arrows!). I picked up a bow for the first time in my life in the summer of 2021 with my wife. We have been teaching ourselves.
The NSGA association does post scores and records by age group and bow division so you can see what others shoot. There are all levels of archers at these events from world champions to those that are not. Who ends up in your age group is random, so you could be shooting against very skilled archers or not. I really enjoyed the archers in my group. It was a good time. While we were there to do our best, we also got along well.
This year we will be going to the Pan Am Masters Games in Cleveland, OH. It is run by the International Master Games Association, which puts on multi-sport events around the world. There is no qualifications and the age groups start at 30+. It is three days: two days of 720 rounds and one day of eliminations--it follow World Archery rules, so I have a 122cm target at 50m. Very much the same format at Outdoor Nationals/US Open. I am going to be shooting much better this year. I think, being an international event, it will bring some interesting archers.
The only thing I noticed with these games is the archery tends to be placed outside the center of the events because of the field requirement. That can be good and bad. If you like crowds and excitement, then it is bad. I think it is good. In both events, the organization puts on opening and closing events. There is also an opportunity to attend a professional ball game.
I am updating my setup right now. But I am shooting a 27" ATF-X with 34# Uukha SX50 limbs that give me a point on at 50m (I shot this for indoors this year). I have 28" ACEs with 90 gr points and 50mm Spide vanes, weighing in at 265 gr. When I went to Pittsburgh, I had 36# Win&Win NS limbs with the same arrows and had no problem hitting 60 yards with a 1/2" crawl. However, those limbs were 40# at my draw length and stacked too much--I could shoot well at the beginning of the round, but they fatigued me too much as the round went on. I have a pair of 34# Win&Win MXT-XP on order which I hope is going to be more forgiving for me as well as a little more distance over the SX50s. I don't like being at point on as I have no more room to adjust in a head wind.
This was my first attempt at outdoors. In my qualification, I shot a 591--on a really windy day (I was aiming in the blue ring at 7 O'clock just to keep my arrows in the bale as the wind coming over a ridge was lifting them up and sending them over the target). For the games, I shot 1199. I struggled on the first day and shot a 572. The second day I shot a 627. I got a bronze in my age group of four archers, missing the sliver by 6 points (after 180 arrows!). I picked up a bow for the first time in my life in the summer of 2021 with my wife. We have been teaching ourselves.
The NSGA association does post scores and records by age group and bow division so you can see what others shoot. There are all levels of archers at these events from world champions to those that are not. Who ends up in your age group is random, so you could be shooting against very skilled archers or not. I really enjoyed the archers in my group. It was a good time. While we were there to do our best, we also got along well.
This year we will be going to the Pan Am Masters Games in Cleveland, OH. It is run by the International Master Games Association, which puts on multi-sport events around the world. There is no qualifications and the age groups start at 30+. It is three days: two days of 720 rounds and one day of eliminations--it follow World Archery rules, so I have a 122cm target at 50m. Very much the same format at Outdoor Nationals/US Open. I am going to be shooting much better this year. I think, being an international event, it will bring some interesting archers.
The only thing I noticed with these games is the archery tends to be placed outside the center of the events because of the field requirement. That can be good and bad. If you like crowds and excitement, then it is bad. I think it is good. In both events, the organization puts on opening and closing events. There is also an opportunity to attend a professional ball game.
I am updating my setup right now. But I am shooting a 27" ATF-X with 34# Uukha SX50 limbs that give me a point on at 50m (I shot this for indoors this year). I have 28" ACEs with 90 gr points and 50mm Spide vanes, weighing in at 265 gr. When I went to Pittsburgh, I had 36# Win&Win NS limbs with the same arrows and had no problem hitting 60 yards with a 1/2" crawl. However, those limbs were 40# at my draw length and stacked too much--I could shoot well at the beginning of the round, but they fatigued me too much as the round went on. I have a pair of 34# Win&Win MXT-XP on order which I hope is going to be more forgiving for me as well as a little more distance over the SX50s. I don't like being at point on as I have no more room to adjust in a head wind.
This is a qualification year for the National games in Des Moines, Ia. 2025. I see you are in Dallas, Ga. The 2024 Georgia State games will be held September 17th in Warner Robins, Ga. Registration opens on May 1st, and info (and past results) is at georgiagoldenolympics.org . In 2023 the tournament experienced a brief pause when the resident red-shouldered hawk landed on the range while it was hot! Ah the excitement of outdoor archery! I was, once again, invited be one of the judges for 2024, so no personal shooting info to share. Hope to see you there!
I am in Iowa & usually go to Beloit, Wisconsin to shoot a qualifier (2 1/2 hours away). Have a couple friends up there so it's an enjoyable shoot. Looking forward to the Biggie being in Des Moines next year (3+ hours away). I shoot compound release. I also shoot the Iowa State Games in Ames, July (usually) that is 30 min from east Des Moines. Didn't make them last summer. Hopefully I can qualify. This was Iowa Games 2022. It's great seeing & shooting with old friends-that seems to be the most fun as we age. I also hope to make the NFAA Field/target Nationals in Yankton S.D. this year + our state target. I like Field the best but my knees are shot & terrain makes it difficult..
![Image]()
![Image]()
![Image]()
This is from my Facebook page Iowa archery/bowhunter tournaments. I update weekly all events in & around Iowa + bordering states + National events. All associations. Free to join, No chat, no selling, just where & when to shoot. 3Ds ASA IBO, local, state, National.
BIGGIE-They take planning-lodging, travel, registration.
![Image]()
2025-IOWA. NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES age FIFTY & up. It's in 2025 BUT it will be in DesMoines, IOWA..This will be July 24th through Aug. 4th. Many events and ARCHERY is one. You MUST QUALIFY to be eligible. MINIMUM PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. MINIMUMS ARE BASED ON SINGLE-DAY COMPETITION 900 ROUND 900 round consists of shooting 30 arrows at each distance of 60, 50 and 40 yards. Minimum Required Score Men, Barebow 425, Limited* fingers compound 600, Unlimited, release compound 700** Women 400 575 675 *compound finger, recurve **compound release MINIMUMS ARE BASED ON PREVIOUS NSGA RESULTS. When it comes time, I will post all the details of where/when/times ect... You can check further information now by going to National Senior Games Association web site.. I will defiantly post where the qualifying archery events are.. You MUST QUALIFY in 2024 to be eligible in 2025.. THIS is defiantly an enormous competition.
BIGGIE-They take planning-lodging, travel, registration.
I’m out in Spokane WA. Shooting in the 80-94 age class. Compound Release.
I was In Pittsburgh last summer at nationals. Came in 6th place. Top five in my age class shot all time record scores 3rd thru 11th. It was a great shoot.
Met up with an old neighbor of mine from PA and we sighted in at his home and traveled together to the tournament.
I’ll shoot to qualify here in WA. I’m also going to shoot in MT just for the experience.
I encourage all senior shooters to get involved in the senior games in their states or a neighboring state of the venue is closest. You can qualify in most if not all states. And you can shoot in more than one state.
I was In Pittsburgh last summer at nationals. Came in 6th place. Top five in my age class shot all time record scores 3rd thru 11th. It was a great shoot.
Met up with an old neighbor of mine from PA and we sighted in at his home and traveled together to the tournament.
I’ll shoot to qualify here in WA. I’m also going to shoot in MT just for the experience.
I encourage all senior shooters to get involved in the senior games in their states or a neighboring state of the venue is closest. You can qualify in most if not all states. And you can shoot in more than one state.
I am in Louisiana. We have the State senior 900 match, I think on September 7th. It is a 4.5 to 5 hour drive one way for me.
Mr Ken
I identify. My WA 900 round is 4 1/2 hrs west and Missoula MT is 5 hrs east. But both worth it for the experience.
I identify. My WA 900 round is 4 1/2 hrs west and Missoula MT is 5 hrs east. But both worth it for the experience.
I've never shot the National Event but did shoot a qualifier in Ga and one in Fl. right before covid. Plan on qualifying this in Ga. so I can go to the National Event in Iowa next year.
Will be good seeing you, bring 2 bows this time so you can make it all the way through this time. More shooting & less camera shots.
Just beginning to swap my target bow over to VAPs and was wondering what would be a good speed. I ended up with a TAW of 346 gr. (110 gr point )at 270 fps.
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
