OREGON, OH (WTOL) - This weekend in Oregon, archers from nearly 10 different states are in action at the Northern Archery Championship tournament.
It's a two-day tournament for archers of all different ages and skill levels.
Archers as young as 8-years-old, and as old as their are competing, and even some world team archers.
It's a tournament that archers say is a great way to test out the sport.
"A lot of kids that aren't familiar with the sport can come here and have fun and shoot this tournament," said Sophia Howard, Toledo archer. "There's a world shooter here named Jamie Van Natta that's shooting here, and she shoots this every year. So it's nice to see the kids come and have fun, and then world archers come here and have fun also."
The tournament is a prestigious one for the area's archers.
"It's so amazing to have this event in this area," said Jamie Van Natta, a world team member who lives in Maumee. "The Northern region comprises a lot of states, and so there's a lot of different choices, and I really think this is a really good central location, and tournaments like this where it's just a regional event, it's a little bit higher than a state event, but a little bit lower than a national event, it really draws people in because it's really convenient and not a high pressure situation, but a little bit of pressure, so having events like this is really crucial to growing the sport."
The tournament has become a particular favorite for both locals and out-of-towners.
For those coming "back home", like Van Natta, they like showing off their hometown to the competition.
"There is kind of a feeling of coming home when you get a chance to do this because I go so many places, I travel so much with this sport, I don't get to do local things anymore," Van Natta said. "I mean national level tournaments are as low as I go usually, and then when something like this shows up in your back yard, you're like, 'yes, I can go, I can have a good weekend, I can touch base with people I haven't seen in a really long time, catch up'. And it does, it has like a down home feel, like we're going to have fun at this, it's not all about the competition."
The final day of the tournament is Sunday from 9 a.m. until about 1 p.m. at the Oregon South Recreation Complex on Starr Ave.
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