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Youth Male Release 15-17 IBO World Champion
LISBON – Archery, a sport that you do not hear about often, takes skill, strength and lots of practice. Andrew Broadbent has learned this firsthand; he has been competing for the last 10 years. While he enjoys all forms of Archery, indoor competitions and field events, 3D Archery has always been a favorite.
His first trip to the International Bowhunting Organizations (IBO) World Championship was when he was 11 years old. He went up against 30 competitors in his age group and placed in the middle of the pack. It was overwhelming the first year; most of his competitors have archery programs in school as part of the curriculum. There are far more 3D courses and training facilities in the Midwest and by far there is more competition and resources for archery as a sport. While placing 15th out of 30 competitors is an achievement, getting to the podium was impossible given the level of competition. Andrew let up in his training and commitment to the sport. Andrew continued to compete despite these challenges and the level of competition. He slowly improved in the national standings, in 2022 he missed the top 5 by just two points, in 2023 he made the top five and placed 4th overall at the World Championship.
To compete in the World Championship an archer must qualify by placing in the top 5 of an IBO sanctioned event. Maine has not hosted an IBO qualifier for the past 5 years, that means lots of time on the road traveling to New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. It also means to practice, Andrew needed to set his own courses at home. He’s mastered the art of building arrows, tuning bows and ensuring his equipment is in top condition. During the World Championship archers shoot 40 targets over 2 days, the top 5 scores in each division shoot 10 more targets in a shoot off. The highest accumulative score wins overall.
This year’s event was hosted at Cacapon State Park in Berkly Springs West Virginia. 1200 Archers from as far away as Africa attended the event. After day one of qualifications Andrew was seeded number 1 in his division, Day 2 he widened the gap and held a 9-point lead over his competitors and secured his spot in the shoot-off. He finished 1st, 19 points ahead of second place. He was nick named “The Maine Man.”
Andrew is heading off to UMaine Orono this fall to study Engineering. He has already worked out an arrangement with Old Town Archery and Survival to practice and store his equipment at their facility. He is already making plans for the indoor archery season and for a return to the world championship in 2025. He works for Audette’s Ace Hardware in Winthrop; they are a Mathews bow dealer and have been very supportive of Andrew over the years. There are resources for Archery in Maine, The Maine Archery Association hosts both indoor and outdoor events every year. West Gardiner Rod and Gun Club, Old Town Archery and Survival, Lakeside Archery and Howells in Grey all have indoor ranges. Archers of all ages and skill levels should consider the sport. Andrew’s dedication to the sport has inspired others not to give up and to work hard to achieve their goals.
