“My grandpa has taught and guided me in archery since my early days,” said McKayla Conley, age 17, Neosho, Wis., “I received my first bow when I was 10 or 11. It was just a standard Genesis. I used that for two or three years and then moved on to the PSE I have now. It’s more expensive, but it’s higher quality. It has many adjustments, so it grows with me as I grow and shoot farther away.”

As a member of the Neosho Utopians 4-H Club, Conley is very involved in the Dodge County 4-H Shooting Sports project, led by Jessie and Eva Lynch, with a selection of other dedicated volunteers. They meet once per week during the winter and summer months at the Horicon Marsh Bowmen’s Club, Horicon, to prepare for competitions. “I’ve competed in the Tri-County Tournament in West Bend; the Dodge County Invitational in Horicon; and events in Shawano and Mondovi,” added Conley. “Depending on the contest, I like how we get to shoot at different types of targets, such as 3D, FITA, or field archery. With the 3D targets, there are bears and deer, but there are also dinosaurs and unicorns. I prefer FITA, because it’s a big target with a distance I’m aware of — although 3D is fun, too, if I know the distance.”

The 4-H Shooting Sports National Championship was held in June at Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Neb. “I had to apply to compete; so, you can’t just go, you have to be chosen,” said Conley. “I had to be one of the top kids in Wisconsin, so I had to qualify in three different shoots and then had to average my points for the application. Then they e-mail the kids who are accepted into the national competition.”

The various disciplines at the national championship include compound archery, recurve archery, air rifle, air pistol, .22 rifle, .22 pistol, shotgun, muzzleloading, and hunting skills. “Only up to four kids, per state, per discipline are invited to attend. I competed in compound archery. I can never compete in that discipline, again, but I can apply to compete in the others, if I want.”

The Dodge County Fair outside of Beaver Dam, Wis., starts Aug. 14, 2024, and continues through Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. You can learn about Conley’s archery success in the Dodge County Fairgrounds Youth Building. “I’m doing an archery-related scrapbook for the fair about my trip to nationals,” said Conley. “I also have 4-H entries in food preservation, photography, and dairy.”

Written by Dori Lichty — farm wife, 4-H Mom, and full-time communicator

McKayla Conley, Neosho, Wis., shoots her compound archery bow at the 2024 4-H Shooting Sports National Championship in Grand Island, Neb.