An archer prepares to shoot at the McKenzie ASA Classic on the campus of St. Bernard Friday. / Nick Griffin
CULLMAN – Day two of the McKenzie ASA Classic Archery Tournament is complete and even more competitors have made it to Cullman for the weekend stretch of this year’s event. In all, around 1,800 archers are expected on the grounds of St. Bernard Abbey.
Day two’s main draw was round one of the team shoot events, the Open Pro, Women’s Pro, Senior Pro and Known Pro events. The events will continue into the weekend along with some other professional level events as well as ranges for Limb Saver shoots open throughout the weekend.
One of the new participants in town, Colorado resident Andre Earthly, drove himself and 18 others more than 24 hours to make it to this year’s competition. Earthly has been traveling to these tournaments for several years and started getting into archery through hunting white tail deer and hogs in east Texas.
“We try to come to these every year.” Earthly said. “I’ve been doing archery at a competitive level since 2000 and I’ve been shooting a bow since 1997.”
Like some other archers from different parts of the country, the humidity has been an adjustment not just for his comfort but for his performance in the events.
“In Colorado, you’re looking at 8 percent humidity and here it’s more like 80 percent,” Earthly said. “My bow was set up in Colorado so I lost about 8 feet per second when I got here.”
Earthly has a passion for the sport but says what makes all the travel worth it is the camaraderie he shares with all his fellow participants.
“It’s great to see friends that you don’t see until the end of the year and enjoy those relationships as well as making new friends. I love seeing the sport grow to younger kids and them looking up to us to set the right examples.”
Saturday’s schedule will be full of coaching clinics and professional competitions before the tournament wraps up with the “Shooter of the Year” presentations closing this year’s event on Sunday.
Here’s the remainder of the schedule:
Saturday, Aug. 5
6:30 a.m. Registration / practice facilities open
7:15 a.m. Jr Eagle & Elementary Classes – Safety meeting & competition round
7:30 a.m. First Round – Shotgun start
7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Limb Saver Known Distance – Tee-times
11:30 a.m. First Round – Shotgun start
11:30 a.m. Future Champions ASA Coaching Clinic
3 p.m. Future Champions ASA Pro session
3:30 p.m. Second Round – Shotgun start
5 p.m. Sponsor Facilities Close for Pro Shoot Down
Pro Pressure Point Shoot Down St. Bernard soccer field
5 p.m. Team Realtree Shoot Off – Qualifying rounds
5:45 p.m. Award Ceremony – Jr Eagle, Elementary Classes & Traditional
6 p.m. Pro Pressure Point Shoot Down
7:30 p.m. Team Realtree Shoot-Off – Top 5 Final Arrow
Sunday, Aug. 6
6:00 a.m. Sunrise Services / Practice facilities open
7:15 a.m. All Sunday competitors at their stake
7:30 a.m. Second Round – Shotgun start
7:30-9 a.m. Limb Saver Known Distance – Tee-times
10 a.m. Award Ceremony & SOY – Completed Saturday amateur classes
Noon Awards Ceremony & Shooter of the Year presentations
1 p.m. Facilities close
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