Team Mathews just sent a resounding message across the archery world by sweeping the entire men’s podium at the opening leg of the 2026 IBO Triple Crown in Pipestem, West Virginia. Levi Morgan, shooting his trusted ARC 34, once again proved why he remains the benchmark in competitive bowhunting, while Brady Myers and Dan McCarthy rounded out an all-Mathews top three. The dominance didn’t stop there. The squad walked away with seven podium finishes across three divisions, highlighted by Cara Kelly’s victory in the Women’s division and impressive Senior division performances from Tim Gillingham and Jack Wallace. In an era where equipment, training, and mental game are constantly evolving, this level of across-the-board success signals that Mathews’ engineering and the athletes’ preparation are firing on all cylinders.
What makes this result particularly significant for the Second Amendment community is the quiet reminder that precision shooting sports remain one of the purest expressions of responsible firearm and archery ownership. While mainstream narratives often try to paint traditional bowhunting and target archery as somehow separate from the broader defense of the right to bear arms, events like the IBO Triple Crown demonstrate the overlapping skill sets, work ethic, and self-reliance that connect archers to the millions of Americans who train with rifles and pistols. Every podium finish represents countless hours of practice, tuning, and mental conditioning—habits that translate directly to safer, more proficient gun owners. When companies like Mathews invest in elite-level competition, they’re not just selling bows; they’re supporting a culture of marksmanship that strengthens the entire shooting sports ecosystem.
Looking ahead, the bar has been set exceptionally high for the remaining two legs of the Triple Crown. Levi Morgan’s continued excellence with the ARC 34 will undoubtedly spark even more interest in that platform, while the depth shown by the rest of the Team Mathews roster suggests we’re watching a genuine dynasty in the making. For everyday 2A advocates and hunters, these victories should serve as inspiration to push personal limits, whether that means competing locally, refining hunting setups, or simply spending more time behind the bow or the rifle. In a time when shooting sports face constant cultural headwinds, dominant performances like this reinforce that excellence, tradition, and freedom still go hand in hand.
