Archery Competition Taupo

[Rahel]

Replying rather late to the post about specifications for archery competition: what about the nocks?
I've only seen plastic nocks these days. Is there an alternative? (I suppose in warfare, they weren't worried about wear and tear on arrows' wooden nocks, but even in field or target practice, wouldn't they've had sericeable nocks?)
And you didn't specify that other thing: arrow rests. Don't traditional longbows have to be without arrow rests?
Or am I being picky?
I am interested in this gig,
but I'm not really a very good archer (longbow), having not practiced for nearly six months - and only ever got to an average standard before that.
Rahel

[Freebooter]

No, you're quite right, and that's what I posted that bit for.

I'm aware that not only were the specs left off, but that they are pretty incomplete and that the actual description of the archery events is severely lacking.

I would love someone to go over this and revise it into something workable, but like I said. Right now I'm pretty jaded, so don't expect a whole lot from me regarding this for a few months yet.

If you've got ideas though, get them together, put them online and let's sort a standard everyone is comfortable with.

Nic

[Merlin of the Fens]

Because of the poundage of the bows used, the nocks in wooden arrows were usually fitted with horn or bone inserts set crosswise to the slit of the nock. This prevented the shaft from splitting. Remember, the grain followed the length of the shaft, so a bowstring in an unreinforced nock could become like a wedge and split the shaft.

[Colin & Lynlee]

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:44 am
"Because of the poundage of the bows used, the nocks in wooden arrows were usually fitted with horn or bone inserts set crosswise to the slit of the nock. This prevented the shaft from splitting. Remember, the grain followed the length of the shaft, so a bowstring in an unreinforced nock could become like a wedge and split the shaft."
_________________
Merlin of the Fens

I agree with the above, I feel there needs to be a set of rules for archery, whether it be at Taupo or Easter Camp etc. Regarding the use of plastic nocks, the use of these means safer arrows for archers and spectators I for one will continue to use plastic nocks as I would not want an arrow failure injurying any one. I do however see a place for traditional arrows for example a display.
Alot of archers spend a lot of money on their equipment, I did notice at Taupo arrows made of dowel were used.
Colin

[Rahel]

Yes, of course an arrow without some nock would split the wood. Especially since, according to an article I once read about Toxophilogy and the Statute of Winton (1200's), the English archers used longbows of 100 pounds draw weight or more.
I don't remember where the article was, and if anyone has bibliographic information confirming that, it'd be interesting.
It makes we 21st Century archers look a bit namby-pamby with our 40 pounders. I am a small person, so my limited draw length causes some loss of oomph on my 30 pounder - but then again, as I said I'm not really very good.
I remember that same article said that most of the longbows used today are American, designed for field archery.
A woman I know did have some 120 year old Yew trees she wanted to get rid of, if anyone wanted to take a chance any of the branches had enough straight grain....
But here we are in NZ, weaklings as we are, compared to our medieval ancestors, and decent longbows are hard enough to come by unless we're wealthy, so I hope, Nic you an other organisers of the upcoming competition event aren't going to get too picky. (And that there's a section for mediocre archers.)
By the way
someone mentioned about encouraging suitable stall-holders to help pay for the expenses of an event: I agree, for what it's worth.
Rahel

[Freebooter]

At Taupo, all stallholders pay for the privelege. It's not a free lunch.

Yew trees are protected in Britain by royal statute, Henry VIII, I think.
If your friend is wanting to remove them, she may have issues...

I once had two trunks behind my house in Scotland. About 25ft long and 8" broad. I'd had them seasoning for about four years at the time they vanished in the back of Guy's van. Never did get the bows he promised me either... Those were felled "in error" by the council. One is unlikely to see that opportunity again, I'm sure.

Regarding specs...
We're not going to be too picky, but we will need a minimum standard to adhere to.

Nic

[Massey Archer]

I don't think that we need to enforce self-nocked arrows. I used them at Taupo this year, as did one or two others but this is not important. As long as they are wooden is fine. Otherwise the archery becomes less accessible and that would be a mistake.

[Rahel]

I just found out about a Red Ravens arrow maker, who apparently makes some beautiful re-enactment arrows without plastic bits.
Does anyone know him?
I'd be interested tofind out how much they cost, or at least give one a try with my lump of wood (long bow).
Rahel

[Freebooter]

Thou mayest refer to Craig Broughton? Not Ravens specifically, I think, but most excellent kit of all varieties. Craig won the archery in 2008.

Nic

[Rahel]

Thank you, Nic for that clue.
I shall do my best to find this man. It was today I was talking to the most excellent Charlotte at the Palmerston North archery shop while she was making me up a couple of new arrows, and the topic of re-enactment kit was discussed.
Apparently the arrows this man makes are almost too beautiful to shoot!
Such a thing I must behold.
In the meantime I am re-inspired to get practicing!
Rahel

[Colin & Lynlee]

Just a couple of suggestions.
1) perhaps a distance marker for combat archery to prevent firing too close.
2) there are quite a few people now making beautiful authentic arrows. Perhaps to extend the archery at public events we could have one competition solely for hand made authentics and one for commercial componentry, whether self made or bought. There are two distinct skills.
3) With the number of archers now present, we need to have play offs, perhaps peer signed "golfcards" for the first round with three to six people firing at a time for several rounds. It is a bit dissappointing to go all the way to an event and only get 3 arrows away.
4) Public displays are also for the public. To have serious shooting going on throughout the day would give more depth of interest for them. After all, the English archers were the supreme fighters of their age and don't deserve complete relegation to the also rans out the back.

And just a wee bit of complete stirring, truely authentic combat archery would mean no blunts and a few fatalities, no matter the bow strength. Please remember that all areas of our hobby require tempering accuracy with practicality. The boundary will probably never be fixed and we will always debate and moan and wish for changes.

Lynlee

[Archer]

Hi everyone

Have just got back from a training session and it would seem that The Company of the Sable Hart would like to have the chance of running the Archery at next years Taupo Joust, [as we are the local Company] with the input from various other people.

We would like to include different formats as well as the usual Field and Target formats, like a Wand Shoot, and/or a distance shoot, etc. These may not take the form of a competition as such but may give people a bit of fun, Also we would like to see some form of Junior Archery included, as we noted that there we quite a few youngsters that were interested but were to take part for one reason or another.

Maybe also include the War Bow format, that was demonstrated at the Taupo Joust this year, as well.

Hopefully we will be able to put together something that is public friendly and enjoyable to the Archers among us all.

Cheers

Graham

[ann dugmore]

Suggestions for future archery events at Taupo:-

How about some 'speed' shooting tasks?!

Or, some 'moving' targets - i.e stuffed squirrels on rails rather than live people (or animals).

Ann

[Merlin of the Fens]

Then there are popinjay shoots and bearsaults...
Wand shoots are great. Roaming shoots where you move from point to point a bit like a golfer ...
Non-period shoots that test skills abound too. One simple, but goodie is noughts and crosses -- two people on each target. Another, equally simple, is golf where the lowest scores are the best and you have to hit the outside rings rather than the bull.
For fun, tie a balloon to each target and have archers defend their own by popping the others. Once your balloon is popped you have to drop out until only one person is left. Modern games apart though, there are lots of good period ones.

[English Warbowman]

As mentioned in the Warbow section, why not make Taupo ‘Archery Central’. It’s the one place that most of us in the North Island are within around 3 hours drive of and it also has a group in residence (C.O.S.H).
Last year we held a very successful roving marks/distance/wand shoot in Hawkes bay. Draw weights ranged from 30 odd lbs to 125lbs so everybody was able to take part at some stage of the proceedings. Surely this type of event could be replicated somewhere in or around Taupo. There is no reason apart from the current lack of a venue (maybe that’s something that C.O.S.H could work on) that there also couldn’t be a spectator friendly archery day featuring combat archery, target archery, and warbow archery.