It was a blazing hot day in mid-May 1999 when we pulled into the fairgrounds where the White River Bowhunters were hosting the First Leg of the IBO National Triple Crown in Bedford, Ind. Everything inside me told me this was going to be my year. I had fallen just shy of winning the Triple Crown the previous year, so I liked my chances going into the first leg.
Throughout the year, we had also discussed forming a team. However, we needed a fourth guy to cement the team. Mike Parker, who was coming off some dominant years in the youth class, and Wade Chandler were the others on the team. However, we still needed a fourth guy.
With Mike and his father arriving early, it gave him a little while to ask around to find us another teammate. We all knew a lot of people, so we figured it wouldn’t be too difficult to find someone to hop on board.
Well, it didn’t take him long to find a guy. As he was getting ready to register for the event, there was another guy who was doing the same. After a brief conversation, the final puzzle piece to our team had been added in the form of a guy from Kentucky named Ryan Jeffries.
Wade would be the oldest on the team, while Mike would be the youngest. Ryan and I would fill out the middle. When I found out Ryan Jeffries had been recruited to be on our team, I knew we were stacked and ready to roll. I was familiar with Ryan’s success, as I had seen his name near the top of the results pages in the past.
When the dust settled after the First Leg, we ran away with the victory, with all of us placing in the top 10… and this is when there were about 800 people in the class. We had all done our part, and it felt good to walk away as team champions.
Going into the Second Leg, I felt like we had a chance to run the table. However, as life throws curveballs at us at times, it wasn’t meant to be. Ryan was unable to make it to the next leg, and we stumbled to the finish line.
Almost 25 years have passed since the glory we achieved when we walked away as team champions of the Midwest Classic, but my memory of it is as fresh as yesterday’s cool breeze. Last year at the IBO World Championship, I spoke with Ryan when we were both tallying our cards after finishing. All these years later, we met at the tent while he was coming off the Open Pro range, and I was coming off the Senior Pro range. Who could’ve imagined both of us would still be at it at this point in our lives? Then, there was Wade, who had podiumed in two of the three legs of the National Triple Crown. Although Michael wasn’t there, his dad was still there and still performing at a high level.
It’s amazing how time never stands still, but then again… maybe it does. All of us are still doing what we love, and in the end, that’s all that really matters. This year at the IBO World Championship in West Virginia, Wade, Ryan and I got together to take a picture for old time’s sake. Ryan and I still had our awards from that team championship, so we brought them along for the picture. The people I’ve met in this sport are second to none, and I’m glad I was able to reconnect with Ryan almost 25 years after our victory. It was only fitting that this year he was part of the Open Pro Mathews team that took home the overall Triple Crown win, and I was part of the Senior Pro team that took home the overall Triple Crown win. I encourage your to savor every moment. I never would have thought that the three of us would still be at it 25 years after our victory. The moment we stood together for the picture was almost as gratifying as the win itself. Ryan and I enjoyed the National Triple Crown awards ceremony and dashed back in time for a moment.
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