DES MOINES, Iowa – For the first time since 2010, the USA Archery JOAD Target Nationals return to Des Moines, IA, running from July 12-16 and record numbers are set to compete.
The previous time this event was staged in Des Moines, over 230 archers took part. Thirteen years on, and among the 850+ archers in attendance will be recently crowned world champions Olivia Dean, Dewey Hathaway and Sydney Sullenberger, who triumphed last week at the World Archery Youth Championships in Limerick, Ireland.
They swap the wet and windy weather in Ireland for drier and warmer conditions expected this week in Des Moines, a city which has rolled out the red carpet for the event.
The capital city of Iowa will host a single distance double round qualification, individual elimination rounds for the top 64 in each category, and for added fun, an optional team round.
Taking place at the James W. Cownie Soccer Park, this five-day event includes divisions from U13 to U21 for barebow, compound, fixed pins, recurve and para compound open, recurve open, and W1 archers. All participants will shoot a single distance, double 72-arrow qualification rounds, according to their age class, gender and bow type (category).
After official practice and check-in on Wednesday, USA Archery welcomes archers and their families to a Kick-Off Social event with a taste of local flavors, music, entertainment, giveaways and more.
Competition gets underway on Thursday, and there is also plenty for visitors to enjoy away from the archery. Plan family-friendly activities with the help of Catch Des Moines and check out special discounts for USA Archery visitors.
The 2023 USA Archery JOAD Target Nationals is a required event for nomination to USA Archery’s youth United States Archery Teams, and is a qualifying event for the Regional Elite and National Elite U18 programs.
Many colleges and universities also keep their eye on this event and offer scholarships to top finishers so promising young talents can pursue a degree in higher education while continuing to train and compete in USA Archery’s Collegiate Archery Program.
JOAD Target Nationals is a perfect event for all archers, from those looking for their first taste of national-level competition, to those dreaming of shooting on the world stage for Team USA. Hundreds of archers from across the nation have made their way to Des Moines for the premiere youth archery tournament.
There will be coverage of the event throughout, as well as daily photo galleries at USA Archery’s SmugMug page.
