August | 2018 | 3D Archery with Gregory Richards

Having a Youtube channel (3D Archery) that is about going out and shooting different archery courses, it is just natural overtime that you start to develop a sense of what you do and do not like to see in a course. For a while now, it has been in the back of my head I could design, organize, build and run an archery event.

I’m no stranger to designing, organizing events. I did it for the past 25 years at my Martial Arts school, so I had a good idea of what needed to be done, at least that is what I thought.

First thing was a what type of an event. In the area where I live, in a fifty-mile radius there are no less than 40 3D Courses. Each weekend there are no less than three shoots all vying for your business. This fact right here told me that a “another” 3D shoot was not it. Field Archery is not that big here, but it does have a decent following thirty miles away in Connecticut. But I really am not a fan of it, so that was out.

I had to ask myself, “What Would I want from a course”. I finally settled on three things: First and foremost, fun. Second it had to test your skill and Third, it had to have variety. In 3D and Field shoots virtually, every shot is wide open. In fact, several organizations have it in the rules that nothing can be in between you and the target. But what I have found, it that having to shoot through or around something is not only challenging, but fun.

Now that I had an idea of what I wanted (even if it was vague) I needed a location. Not having enough property of my own for it I had to use someone else’s. Parking, facilities would be needed and that pretty much limited me to a local club. I approached the local Archery club that I belong to and they were receptive. They gave me a date of August 19^th. It was one of the few dates that fell into alignment with my work schedule. The course they have is set up for 34 3D targets and a 28-target field course. That is what I had to work with.

Now that I had a date, I had to figure out exactly what the event was going to be. I looked around on the forums and such and saw how many people had preconceived notions of the different types of archery competitions. From this, I figured I could have an event that would expose people the different forms and just maybe spark their interest in it. I looked at the options and made a quick list, An Indoor end, A Field end, An Animal end, An Olympic end, an IBO and ASA shot. I thought those are all very different and would fit in nicely with what I wanted to do.

Now that I was getting a better idea of what it was. I needed a name. I wanted the name to include the area, doing this, helps people to identify it better. The area I live in is called the Hudson Valley. I knew the word archery had to be in there and then the final word, Competition, Shoot, Challenge, were some names I thought about. The first one was the Hudson Valley Archery Challenge. Sounds great right? But then I looked at the initials, HVAC. Normally that means Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning. So, that name was out.

While scouring the web for shot ideas I found several people call their shoots “Extreme”. This seemed like the perfect fix. The name would be “The Hudson Valley Extreme Archery Challenge”. I got to work on Photoshop and made a simple logo. I went with the same and a oversized “X” that was not only in a different font, but had an archery target in it. Logos need to be simple and to the point. But you also need a catchphrase that easily sums up the event. I finally settled on “A Fun Filled test of Skill”. Short, sweet and tells exactly what it is all about.

Making the logo and the catchphrase is important, it helped guide me in designing the event. At every turn I asked myself “Is it fun” or “Does it test your skill”. I dropped several things because I could not say “yes” to those questions.

Next step is to design the course and figure out the shots and I will go over that next week.

Archery to me, is about fun. I enjoy the amount of focus, I love anything with focus, driving a race car is another example. But I also have another passion, a personal one. I like to help people, help them achieve something, to make something etc. It just makes me feel good.

Earlier this year I was talking to Grizzly Jim form Archery Adventures. The conversation came to the Gathering in Germany. I asked how it was and as describing it, Jim mentioned ETAR. He said it is a dream of his to go there.

ETAR, The Eastern Traditional Archery Rendezvous, held each year at Denton Hill in Pennsylvania. Is one the largest Traditional gathering in the US and quite possibly the world. Last year they had 6,000 people attend, several hundred vendors, eight 3D Courses, moving, aerial targets, a BBQ cookout, seminar and so much more. It is just under five hours from me.

When he said that, I realized that I could help him go there. The hardest part to making this happen is just getting him here. I told him that we could make that a reality, there conversation went off after that.

Doing some research, I realized this could easily happen. I knew that we could raise the money with just the group I shoot with. One day while out on a course, I brought up the idea to Jeff and Tim, told them how much we needed to raise, then Tim chimed in with “Why don’t you use “Go Fund Me”. That was a slap in the forehead moment.

That night I went home and started the go fund me. I figured it would take about six months to raise the money. I activated it and within two weeks we raised the money! The best part was that JIM would not even need to bring money. We had everything covered and we gave him $200 spending money!

Jim was taken back, he just thought it was something we would talk about, but never do.

Picking Jim up at JFK airport and our first stop was Bass Pro Shop. One the way there I apologized for the size of the store, told him it was a smaller one. As we turned the corner, you said “You call that small”.

That night we took him to Texas Roudhouse for an awesome steak dinner. On the way back, I hoped to show him some deer. While driving, I spotted one about 20 yards off on his side of the car, I pointed it out to him and he replied, what about this one, right next to me door!” So many memories, ones that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

The Star of ETAR was Jim, people all the time came up to him, welcomed him, thanked him and gave him free stuff. I have to say thank you to all those who did that, you really made him feel welcomed in our little country. Yep, sometimes dreams do come true!