Overseas archers set sights on Samford

Hundreds of archers will soon be drawing back their bows in Samford when Archery Australia hosts its first National Target Championships in three years.

The tournament will be hosted by Samford Valley Target Archers, at their Mt Samson Rd grounds, from September 28 to October 3.

More than 300 entries have already been received for the event - which has rounds of 90 and 144 arrows and a Matchplay series – six weeks before registrations close on August 31.

Overseas arrivals

That figure includes archers from Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand. More are also expected to register from Pacific islands.

Samford archers have hosted the Australian Open before, but president Brian Hagaman said national titles were bigger and the premier event in the country.

Mr Hagaman said there would be economic benefits for the community and region’s tourism – as well as supporting the club’s progressive plans.

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Centre of excellence

“We want to be a centre of excellence and able to host any international event in the lead-up to the Olympics,” he said.

Mayor Peter Flannery said: “I’d like to thank Archery Australia and the Samford Valley Target Archers for helping to put on this amazing event and we can’t wait to see all of you in September.”

This will be the first “face-to-face” gathering of archers for a national target tournament since the COVID 19 restrictions in 2020.

Partnerships

The tournament is being run in partnership with Moreton Bay Regional Council with help from other archery clubs across Southeast Queensland.

Samford Valley Target Archers (originally the Grange Company of Archers) is the oldest, continuously operating target archery club in Queensland.

The information is available online at www.nationals.archerysqas.org.au