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KULLIHOMA, Okla. – Seven young Chickasaw archers competed for top honors at the 2023 Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival cornstalk shoot Saturday, Sept. 29.

While the contest was not particularly close, the crowd that gathered delighted in watching four archers age 5 and under compete, two of them finishing in second and third place, respectively.

Evan Scribner, 13, put on a stellar performance ending with a total of 47 points to take first place honors. In an interview following the event, he was asked how many times he “missed” the target.

“Twice,” the teenager said quietly.

Evan also was first place winner in youth cornstalk competition during Chikasha Ittafama (Chickasaw Reunion) conducted annually each May.

Denton Brown, 5, finished in second place with a total of 16 points. Everly Brinska, 4, finished third with eight total points.

Denton is the son of Zac and Tamra Carlon and is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Randy Shackleford, of Noble, Oklahoma. Mrs. Carlon said she and her family recently moved back to Noble from the Washington, D.C., area.

“I really was missing my family and my tribe. We came home, and it was a great decision,” she said. She did not have to give up her job in the Pentagon. She works remotely now.

Mrs. Carlon finished in third place during cornstalk competition among Chickasaw women.

Everly is the daughter of Michael and Katie Brinska of Ada. Everly needed some help from her father, while Denton was enlisting sage advice from his grandfather, who also is a cornstalk competitive archer.

Ben Scribner, 2, was just a point behind Everly. He finished with a final score of seven, and he used his father, Matt Scribner, to assist him while competing, as did Miles Scribner, 5, who leaned on his father, Andrew, for a little help.

A large gathering of contest spectators cheered on each contestant, offering congratulations for winning strikes and yelling encouragement if an arrow fell short of the target.