The Archery Trade Association joined Missouri Department of Conservation staff, Missouri archers and others on Aug. 8 at the Archery Hall of Fame and Museum at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield to recognize archery as the official state sport of Missouri.
Missouri Representative Tim Taylor (R-District 48) introduced the initiative earlier this year and with support from the Missouri General Assembly and Governor Michael Parson, archery will become the official state sport on August 28.
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Dan Forster, ATA’s vice president and chief conservation officer, spoke at the event on behalf of the archery and bowhunting industry.
“Archery has a long, rich history,” he said. “Missouri’s recognition of archery as the state’s official sport pays appropriate tribute to all those before us and to the hundreds of thousands of active bowhunters and target archers in the ‘Show-Me’ state who participate in and advance this timeless and shared passion.”
This is the first-time archery achieved this kind of status.
“What a great way to recognize and celebrate archery,” said Jeff Poole, ATA’s CEO and president. “We hope promoting archery at this level inspires even more people to get involved in all archery activities, including bowfishing, bowhunting, and recreational and competitive archery.”
Rep. Taylor is a lifelong bowhunter, long-time archery instructor for Cooper County’s 4-H program, and an instructor for the Missouri National Archery in the Schools Program. He recognizes archery as a fun, inclusive sport and said, “anyone can participate at any level, regardless of age, size, or physical ability.”
Missouri also has a long-standing history with archery. In fact, Missouri native Holless Wilbur Allen, Jr., who lived in Kansas City and later in Billings, is credited for creating the compound bow. He revolutionized the archery industry throughout the world by adding pulleys and extra cables to the limbs of the bow. Allen received a patent for his compound bow in 1966. He collaborated with bowmaker Tom Jennings to mass produce the compound bow. The Hoyt Archery Company started in St. Louis in 1931, and became well known for building high-quality cedar arrows and remarkably straight-shooting stickbows. MoNASP is extremely popular throughout the state. Over 900 schools and supporting organizations offer the program and over 200,000 students participate. Bowhunting is also a popular pastime in Missouri with over 202,000 annual participants.
For general questions, please contact Trey Miller, ATA’s senior manager of marketing and communications, at treymiller@archerytrade.org.
The Archery Trade Association is the organization for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, sales representatives and others working in the archery and bowhunting industry. The ATA has served its members since 1953. We work to increase the recruitment and retention of new, current and once-active archers and bowhunters. We are the driving force in defending, educating, and lobbying for the greater good of the industry and sport. We preserve and promote archery and bowhunting’s rich heritage to ensure active consumer participation, and successful manufacturing and retailing for generations to come. The organization also owns and operates the ATA Trade Show, the archery and bowhunting industry's largest and longest-running trade show worldwide.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE INDUSTRY, TO HELP INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES GET THE MOST OUT OF THE INDUSTRY, AND TO HELP YOU.
