History

1939  

The NFAA was founded. By the end of the year, there were state organizations in Washington, Oregon, New Jersey, Arizona and California with individual members scattered through Illinois, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Kansas, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Texas. Today the NFAA has 49-chartered state organizations.

1940    

The first NFAA Outdoor Field Tournament was held by way of mail-in scorecards. E. Hill Turnock of Wilkinsburg, PA won the men’s division with an average score of 356 for 28 targets. The winning female was Naomi Baker of Inglewood, CA with an average of 196 for 28 targets.

1941

The NFAA Stump Emblem was created by Dick Schroeder, a nationally known artist, and an NFAA archer. 

1945  

Order of the Bone Adopted.

1946  

First NFAA National Championship (now National Outdoor) was held in Allegan, MI. 

1947

Compton Medal of Honor and NFAA Hall of Fame Established

1954  

Chartering of clubs began.  Today the NFAA has nearly 1,000 affiliated clubs.

1959  

The NFAA acquired its own office building and headquarters in Redland, CA.

1959

Fellowship of the Robin Hood was established for NFAA members.

1962

The first Las Vegas Open or “Vegas Shoot” held in Las Vegas, NV.

1963  
Sectional tournaments standardized throughout the eight sections of the NFAA.

1964  
Service pins for continued membership in the NFAA were adopted.

1967  
Youth Scholarship Program founded.  Today, in partnership with Easton Foundations, the NFAA Foundation awards over $20,000 in scholarships per year to student athletes. 

1968 
New Youth Division provided for competitive NFAA Youth Members.

1969  
The NFAA becomes a National member of the International Field Archery Association.

1971  
The compound bow was allowed in all divisions.

1972  
NFAA Certified Instructor School was started.

1973 
The NFAA Professional Division was set up. 62 NFAA Professional Archers made their first appearance at the Outdoor Nationals to compete for a total purse of $2,800.

1974 
The NFAA introduced the flight system at the National Outdoor for the first time.

1977 
NFAA Indoor Championship face and round established.

1979 
NFAA suffers a financial crisis and temporarily suspends the publication of Archery magazine.

1980
The first Indoor National Tournament is held in Omaha, NE with 524 shooters.

1984
New NFAA Headquarters is completed in Redlands, CA.

1990 
The NFAA Foundation established.

1991 
The first Unmarked 3D National Tournament is held in Hickory, NC.

1993
The Indoor National Tournament was held in Louisville, KY with a record number of 1436 archers.

1994 
The NFAA challenged the US Olympic Committee to replace the NAA as the National Governing Body for archery.  The challenge was withdrawn in 1994 and the NFAA/NAA signed an agreement that included National tournament reciprocity for both organizations.

1995
The Western Classic Trail shoot in Redding, CA becomes home to the NFAA Marked 3D National Tournament.

1996 
The first NFAA website was implemented.

1999 
The NFAA purchases the World Archery Festival (The Vegas Shoot).  The WAF becomes a separate corporation.

2001
The World Archery Festival purchases the Atlantic City Classic.

2002 
The NFAA and World Archery Festival begin the 3 Star Tour, including The Vegas Shoot, NFAA Indoor Nationals and the Classic.

2004
The WAF Classic is moved to Pittsburgh and renamed the Stanislawski Open in 2006.

2008
NFAA Headquarters moved from Redlands, CA to 800 Archery Lane Yankton, SD.

2008
The Classic is renamed the First Dakota Classic and moved to Yankton, SD.

2010
NFAA partnered with local businesses to break ground on a new KOA campground next to NFAA Headquarters.

2013 
NFAA launched a new website at www.nfaausa.com.

2014 
The Vegas Shoot hit a record number of attendees with over 2,150 registered archers.

2014 
The NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center hosts the inaugural NFAA Outdoor National Target Championships. 

2015 
The Vegas Shoot celebrates its 50th installment with over 3,100 archers and it's first-ever Lucky Dog winner in the Championship Compound Male division. 

2017
NFAA Headquarters in Yankton, SD completes its second expansion of the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center, adding another 30,000 sq. ft. of indoor shooting space. 

2019
The NFAA unveils a new logo for the first time since 1941. The new mark provides a modern take on the traditional NFAA stump.  

2020
COVID-19 forces NFAA to cancel NFAA Indoor Nationals in Louisville, KY. The NFAA hosts its first-ever virtual Indoor Nationals at 130+ clubs and shops across the United States. 

2021
The NFAA Foundation hosts the first-ever Rushmore Rumble with over 700 archers in Yankton, SD. 

2022
The NFAA launches a new National League program for Indoor and Outdoor disciplines. Participants compete over multiple weeks and NFAA rounds for the title of National League Champion! 

2023
The Vegas Shoot returns to its pre-COVID numbers with an outstanding 3,812 archers. Additional partner events with S3DA, Nevada State NASP, and the Nevada State USA Archery chapter brought in an additional 1,000 participants for a total of nearly 5,000 total participating archers.