Local archers on target at Canadian nationals

When it comes to hitting the mark — two Picture Butte archers are on target.

Both Jamie Brehaut and Ann Neumeyer left the 2014 Canadian National Archery Championships in Lac La Biche, AB with medals and a passion to represent Canada, as Canada’s best archers in the very near future.

The 3-D, FITA and field championships were held Aug. 1-10 and approximately nine archers competed from the Lethbridge County area.

“For myself, I didn’t place in 3-D but in field and target I got gold and I set records in both — national records, as well as provincial,” said Brehaut, adding other competitors from the area also brought home gold and other medals.

It was a national event, Brehaut said, and all the top archers across Canada were there, including family members.

“I’ve been doing it since I was three years old and my 6-year-old was there. My daughter got fourth place but they don’t really have places — they just give them medals,” he noted.

Brehaut said it was a great event and in his class he got double-gold and a double-national and double-provincial record, which allows Brehaut to compete in top-notch archery events.

“I’m going to be training to go for Team Canada. That’s going to be my goal for next year,” said Brehaut, adding he will get a coach from Lethbridge and he will be focusing strictly on FITA.

“I want to make the World Cup circuit. It’s going to take a little bit to get there.”

Brehaut said he’s going to build on his most recent wins and try to compete at the next level.

Another local medal-winning archer, Ann Neumeyer, said she did excellent at the championships, earlier this month.

“This is the first time that I participated in all three of the disciplines offered at the national championships. Usually, I just go and shoot the 3-D portion,” said Neumeyer.

This year, Neumeyer explained, she participated in the 3-D portion, the field target archery and the target archery competitions.

“Sadly, I placed fifth in the 3-D portion but I had a couple of mistakes and it brought me from third place to fifth place. That’s how fast things happen sometimes,” she added.

In field archery, Neumeyer noted, she was shooting with some lovely ladies from Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Quebec and she ended up in bronze position.

“That was excellent. It was the first time I ever shot a competitive field course. That was pretty exciting to me,” said Neumeyer, adding in target archery she shot a 1317 out of 1440 and a 620 out of 720 in another round, with a combined score of 1937. “That earned me silver.”

Up next, Neumeyer said, she is waiting to hear if she made the Canadian National team to go to the World Championships in 2015 for 3-D archery.

“I’m also working towards getting on the team for field target archery in 2016,” said Neumeyer.

As for local archery opportunities, the Picture Butte Archery Indoor Range is located in the Picture Butte Fish and Game Building, adjacent to the Harry Watson Regional Park Baseball Diamond. The main season runs from November to April. Programs offered include a FITA program Mondays at 7 p.m., family lanes with regular archery lanes and lessons Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m., 3-D animal shoot Thursdays 7 p.m., 3-D tournaments run the first Friday of the month during the season, there’s a Southern Alberta Tour Shoot and an indoor 3-D tournament is held during Jamboree Days, which was held this past weekend in Picture Butte.

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