The 79th annual NFAA Outdoor National Field Championships took over the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center in Yankton, South Dakota, from August 22-25, 2024. This exciting event, packed with nearly 600 enthusiastic archers, was paired with the 7th annual NFAA Outdoor National Target Championships.
Archers aged 6 to 80 from 40 U.S. states and 4 countries, including Olympians, World Champions, and National Champions, were present. Professional divisions competed for over $10,000 in cash prizes across the two tournaments. Competitors started arriving on Tuesday and stayed through the following weekend.
The 79th NFAA Outdoor National Field Championships featured exciting specialty rounds:
Field & Hunter Rounds: Archers tackled 28 targets, each requiring 4 arrows. The targets, set at varying distances and angles, simulated real-world hunting scenarios, testing both accuracy and adaptability.
Animal Round: Competitors faced 28 animal-shaped targets, shooting 1 to 3 arrows per target. This round emphasized precision and strategy, replicating the challenges of actual hunting with a range of target sizes and distances.
These rounds added an extra layer of challenge and excitement, showcasing diverse archery skills and enhancing the competition's thrill. Curious to learn more about the NFAA Field rounds?
Field Archery 101 - The Field Round
Field Archery 101 - The Hunter Round
Field Archery 101 - The Animal Round
Over the weekend, the 7th annual NFAA Outdoor National Target Championships drew an impressive 304 competitors—50 more than last year! The action was non-stop with a two-day shootout that kicked off with the NFAA Classic 600 Round on Day 1 and wrapped up with the NFAA 900 Round on Day 2.
Day 1 featured the NFAA Classic 600 Round, where archers took 4 ends of 5 arrows each, facing off at three different distances. They had 4 minutes per end to shoot at a 92cm multicolor target, choosing between going for the full target or just the center spot. Distances ranged from 10-20-30 yards for Cubs, 30-40-50 yards for Youth, and 40-50-60 yards for Young Adults/Adults/Seniors.
On Day 2, the NFAA 900 Round cranked up the excitement with 5 ends of 6 arrows each. Competitors had 5 minutes per end to aim at a 122cm multicolor target. Distances were set at 30-20-10 yards for Cubs, 50-40-30 yards for Youth, and 60-50-40 yards for Young Adults/Adults/Seniors.