Personal best in NFAA Nationals (USA Championships)
I had a lovely day out shooting today, I had taken a couple days off during the NFAA National Championships. I shot as a guest, yet could post scores and compare my efforts against the Americans. I was finally grouped with Sandy McCain (second from right), the most experienced and skilled bowhunter female shooter in the world. She holds world records in both the field and hunter rounds, and she lives and breathes archery. I shot again with Lana (second from left) and Christine (far left). Our group was very relaxed, and we chatted the whole way around the animal round.
Animal round shoot group
I shot extremely well in the Animal round, posting a career high 516 points. I couldn’t do much wrong, the arrows were flowing off my bow and hitting the places I wanted them to go. Funny how things work when you’re not trying too hard, much like how my best rock-climbing has been done while relaxed and totally in the moment.
Here are a couple more photographs from the day out:
Hitting the pro ring!
Lana looking happy, she’s always smiling and enjoying her archery. This photo of her came out super good.
All first arrow kill shots @ 60 yards. Nice work team.
At the conclusion of the shoot everyone got together in the Easton NFAA National Complex for the presentation ceremony. I received a guest medal for my performance, with my score bringing me in second in their National Championships, which I was really happy with. A good practice for the world championships tomorrow! Immediately following the presentation, the opening ceremony for the World Field Archery Championships followed. We were treated to some Native American dances and flute playing, and a BBQ where everyone mingled and chatted about good times before and good times to come. A couple of excerpts follow:
Rest day, and a visit to Jon and Mary Jane’s beautiful home
Last night I went to bed with the intention of shooting today, as it would give me another opportunity to post a field round score. However, all things considered, I shot a very good score on Wednesday, and I felt I could benefit more by resting. The real event is the unwavering five days of the World Field Archery Championship; and I was the only Aussie crazy enough to try both the USA National’s and the WFAC.
I believe I made a wise choice, as I had the time to visit the home of Jon and Mary-Jane; a lovely couple of wonderful human beings I had the fortune of befriending iin 2012 while in Argentina. Both are skilled artisans, and their passion for life iis evident in their smiles and their joyful way. I ventured out to visit them around mid afternoon, and on the way out of my motel, I crossed paths with Bea and Jolleen (the Namibian archers), so they jumped in the car and we crossed the interstate bridge into Nebraska.
A short drive along incredibly picturesque Missouri riverside brought us to the waterfront home of Jon and Mary Jane. It didn’t take Jon long to sequester us into his den of creation, and he treated us to wonder after wonder. I had an inkling that Jon liked to work with his hands, but nothing prepared me for the plethora of items he had deftly crafted. Obsidian knives, flint arrowheads all knapped to a fine edge. Beadwork, bows, arrows and blowdarts! Colonial uniforms, muskets, and other treasures accrued or created through a lifetime were carefully described and presented to us. Bea, Jolleen and I were astounded, and dumbfounded by his skill.
An example of the esoteric items is this Indian love flute, something that until today I did not know could exist:
Jon is a native American, and as someone relatively uneducated in native American history, he was very helpful in describing cultural and social traditions. He brought out a beautiful Indian headdress; and popped it on Jolleen’s head and went on to describe the significance of the feathers, and the status of a warrior that might wear a headdress of this type:
Here are a couple of photographs of the knives and stone knapping work that Jon has done. Mary Jane is a wood carver and a painter, and I hope to see some more of her work when I visit in again in a few days time:
Obsidian and flint knives and arrowhead.
Jon is a master craftsman, these tools are immaculately made.
Here is a picture of Mary Jane and I. While Jon was touring us through his workshop and gear; she had been covertly cooking us a dinner! We shared a meal with them and we hope to be back there in a few days to swim and see the other half of Jon’s collection!
Mary Jane and I
Of course, no post would be complete without a bit of fooling around on my part, so here are a few minutes of silliness that occurred while I was overwhelmed with the breadth of Jon’s collection of exotic Indian weapons! Who could resist shooting blow darts across the garden, and throwing (unsuccessfully) a bunch of axes!!! PS> I did actually a lot better with the throwing knives, but this wasn’t captured on camera!!
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