Two Franklin County 4-H archers among state’s best at recent Buckmasters Tournament

Two Franklin County 4-H members represented their community with outstanding performances at the 2026 Buckmasters Top Bow Invitational Archery Tournament held during the Buckmasters Expo in Montgomery, Alabama.

Jase Swinney and Jayden Weeks, both students at Phil Campbell High School and members of Franklin County 4-H, were among just 30 youth from across Alabama invited to compete in the special 4-H Day event on Friday, August 14. Invitations were extended to top archers in two divisions: Juniors (ages 9-13) and Seniors (ages 14-18).

Competing against some of Alabama's best young archers, both Franklin County participants earned top-three finishes in the Junior Division. Weeks claimed 2nd place overall, while Swinney finished 3rd overall.

For his second-place finish, Weeks received an MTM Bow Case, a pair of Rocky Boots, and Wiley X sunglasses. Swinney earned a set of Easton arrows, Rocky Boots, and Wiley X sunglasses for his third-place finish.

Their strong performances also qualified both archers to advance to the Open Class competition on Saturday, August 15. Only the top three archers from each division were invited to compete against a field of seven archers from across the region for a chance to continue advancing toward the championship finals.

Swinney finished seventh in the Open Class competition and secured a spot in the Junior Quarter Finals held on Sunday, August 16. He continued to demonstrate his skill and determination, ultimately finishing 5th overall in the Junior Quarter Finals.

“Jase and Jayden represented Franklin County 4-H exceptionally well on a very competitive stage," said Franklin County 4-H Agent Kristi Hatton. "Being selected as two of only 30 4-H members from across Alabama to participate is an accomplishment in itself. Their success reflects the dedication, hard work, and sportsmanship they bring to the sport of archery.”

The Buckmasters Top Bow Invitational is one of the premier youth archery competitions held during the annual Buckmasters Expo, bringing together talented young archers from across the Southeast to compete for prizes and recognition.

Franklin County 4-H offers a variety of youth development opportunities, including shooting sports programs that help young people build confidence, responsibility, leadership skills, and safe sportsmanship while developing marksmanship abilities.