Have you ever wanted to test your archery skills against the best archers in the world? Do you have the nerves of steel needed to accurately judge yardage in open woods? How do you think you would perform in a two-day, 40-target tournament? If you’re curious to find out, I highly recommend participating in the IBO Triple Crown to see if you can qualify for the World Shoot, which takes place every August. Once you make the show, you’d better bring your “A” game!
Qualifying for the World Championship
The International Bowhunting Organization (IBO) hosts a Triple Crown shoot every year, where archers can join the organization and compete against others for awards and cash prizes. There are over thirty different classes to participate in, including Youth Classes, Beginner Classes, Traditional Classes, a Crossbow Class, Amateur Classes, Semi-Professional Classes, and Professional Classes. One important rule that all competitors must know is that rangefinders are prohibited on the course, meaning you need to accurately judge yardage and make a good shot.
Unfortunately, I was unable to compete in the first leg of the Triple Crown this year, which took place in May at Pipestem Resort State Park in West Virginia. The second leg of the Triple Crown was held at Two Mile Run County Park in Franklin, Pennsylvania, in June. During this shoot, I scored a solid 398 with 10 x’s and finished in 12th place. In July, I traveled to Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, for the final leg of the Triple Crown. I achieved a score of 402 with 17 x’s and finished in 16th place. I was pleased with my performance and patiently awaited the news on whether I had qualified for the World Championship. A few days after the final leg, I received the exciting news: I qualified for the World Championship!
Practice, Practice, Practice
I was thrilled about the opportunity to shoot at the World Championship in Cacapon State Park, but I only had a few weeks to prepare. I dedicated several evenings to practicing at local 3-D courses in anticipation of the tournament. As the event approached, I felt confident, but I knew that everyone else was also putting in the effort. To finish near the top, I realized I would need to shoot cleanly each day.
Day 1: 20 Targets
On Thursday, August 7th, the tournament kicked off. I arrived at my course and waited for my group to be called. When I heard my name, I went over to meet the two other archers I would be shooting with during the tournament: William and Joe. We had a fantastic time shooting together.
After completing the first 20 targets, I felt pleased with my performance. Although I didn’t shoot cleanly and missed the 10 ring a few times, the course and terrain presented quite a challenge. Later that evening, I headed to the main lodge to check the scores. I was surprised to find that I was tied for 9th place after the first 20 targets.
Day 2: Shooting Aggressively
On Friday morning, I woke up determined to shoot aggressively and try to catch up to the archers ahead of me. I knew that my only chance of making it to the shoot-off on the third day was to judge the yardage perfectly and execute my shots effectively. William, Joe, and I met at the scorer’s tent and waited for our group to be called. After a few minutes, we were on our way to the last set of 20 targets.
My first set of ten targets was challenging. I made a few judging errors, resulting in one 8 and two 5’s. In total, I finished with a score of 90. I assumed that this score would eliminate my chances for the shoot-off, so I decided to be less aggressive and focus on finishing strong. I took a short break between targets 10 and 11 to calm myself down.
After taking a moment to regroup, I began the next set of ten targets with a solid 10. My confidence was back, and I proceeded to shoot cleanly. At the end of the set, I was relieved to see that I had scored three 11’s and seven 10’s. My total score for the set of ten targets was 103. William, Joe, and I added up our scores for the twenty targets before submitting our scorecards for the day. My final score was 389, including 12 Xs, or bonus rings.
Reflection
Disappointment weighed heavily on me as I reviewed my scorecard. Out of 40 targets, I only missed the 10 ring seven times. Unfortunately, three of those shots were 5’s, which significantly impacted my overall score. On a positive note, the majority of my shots did find the 10 ring or the 11. I might have been a bit too aggressive during the first set of ten targets on the second day. As a competitive person, I know I need to learn from my mistakes to improve. Overall, I am satisfied with how I performed and my 26th place finish in my class out of 47 shooters. I have plenty to work on before the Triple Crown begins in 2026!
Visit the International Bowhunting Organization’s website for information on rules, classes, and upcoming tournaments for 2026. There are also many local clubs that host qualifying events for the I.B.O World Championship. Gather some friends and start shooting! I hope to see some of you next year at the 2026 World Championship, which will be held at Canaan Valley Resort State Park in Davis, West Virginia.