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Sep 01, 2026

First Dakota Classic Puts Long Distance Indoor Archery in the Spotlight

Nearly 200 archers from across the United States and around the world gathered at the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center in Yankton, South Dakota, August 28 and 29 for the First Dakota Classic, an indoor competition that offers archers a unique opportunity to compete at long distances before advancing to head-to-head elimination matches.

The event drew competitors from 30 U.S. states, from California to Rhode Island and everywhere in between, as well as international competitors, all competing for over $14,000 in cash payouts. Podium finishers in each division also took home custom gold, silver, and bronze belt buckles. Held at the world’s largest archery facility, the First Dakota Classic offers an experience unlike any other NFAA event. Archers compete at distances typically associated with outdoor shooting while remaining indoors at the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center.

“The NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center makes an event like the Dakota Classic possible,” said Morgan Wittmeier, NFAA Membership & Events Manager. “There really is nowhere else in the world where archers can come together and compete at these kinds of distances indoors on this scale. It gives archers a completely unique challenge and creates an experience that you simply cannot get at another NFAA event.”

Competition began Friday with a 60-arrow qualification round. Adult divisions shot at 40, 50 and 60 yards on a 92 cm target face, testing archers at distances that require precision and consistency throughout the round. The younger divisions faced their own long-distance challenge. Cub archers competed at 10, 20 and 30 yards, while Youth archers shot at 30, 40 and 50 yards, giving younger competitors the opportunity to experience the unique format while challenging themselves at progressively longer distances.

Nearly one-third of the field competed in junior divisions, demonstrating the Dakota Classic's appeal across generations of archers. The strong junior turnout brought a mix of developing competitors and experienced adult and professional-level archers together for a weekend of competition at one of the sport's most unique venues.

Friday's qualification round determined the matchups for Saturday's elimination competition, but the format changed dramatically once the head-to-head matches began. Saturday afternoon featured 15-arrow, head-to-head single-elimination matches, with the winner of each match advancing while the losing archer's competition came to an end. Rather than competing solely against a score, archers had to respond directly to the performance of an opponent, adding a level of pressure and excitement to the competition. The head-to-head format also created a more spectator-friendly experience, allowing fans and fellow competitors to follow the progression of individual matches as archers battled their way through the bracket toward the gold match.

Division Highlights

The First Dakota Classic crowned top finishers across numerous divisions. Among the weekend's division highlights were:

• Championship Compound Open: Kyle Douglas defeated Stephan Hansen for the top spot.
• Compound Flights: Jacob McArthur outlasted Adam Jirovsky to claim the championship.
• Bowhunter Flights: Tracy Bastek secured the win over Ziegfried Kotze.
• Cub Male Compound: Gage Stoltz took top honors over his twin brother, Trypp Stoltz.
• Young Adult Female Bowhunter: Clara Kuczer defeated her twin sister, Cadence Kuczer, in the gold match.

With nearly 200 competitors representing 30 states and countries around the world, more than $14,000 in cash payouts and championship belt buckles awarded across the divisions, the First Dakota Classic continues to offer archers an opportunity to experience indoor archery in a way that cannot be replicated anywhere else on the tournament calendar.

3-Star Shoot Off

The First Dakota Classic marked the final stop of the NFAA's 3-Star Tour, where archers who competed in all three events, the Vegas Shoot, NFAA Indoor Nationals and First Dakota Classic, earned the opportunity to compete for an additional $5,000 professional prize or $2,500 amateur prize.

The 3-Star Shoot Off on Friday evening put competitors' precision and composure to the test in a single-arrow elimination format. Archers shot at a 40 cm Vegas target face, beginning at 10 yards, with the distance increasing by five yards after each arrow. Before advancing to the next distance, any archer who failed to match the highest score at the current distance was eliminated.

In the professional division, Stephan Hansen claimed the $5,000 prize, drilling the 10 ring at 45 yards to secure the title. The amateur title went to Christopher Fong, who earned redemption after finishing second in last year's shoot-off. Fong delivered a perfect shot at 35 yards to claim the amateur championship and the $2,500 prize.

View Tournament Results

Event Pictures

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