By Chris Elliott…
My life in recent times has been concentrating on the care and support for my partner Margaret Sheard who has been fighting cancer for the past year and very little else.
Clearly, this pressure limits your focus on life and what’s happening around you so it was a big and welcome surprise when Nick Gough of the Lambousa Archers sent me a message saying “Hi Chris, how do you fancy packing your troubles in your old kit bag for an hour or so on Saturday morning and joining us on the line for a spot of archery?”
Now Nick had contributed some fascinating articles to CyprusScene about archery and his group which we published and shared so with my senses opening I wanted to learn more and agreed to go along to their Saturday shoot on 23rd July 2022.
It was a very hot day but the Lambousa Archer members were shooting from a shady area at the various targets and it was fascinating to see the different types of bows they were using and their individual techniques and their discussions about the placement of arrows on their individual shoots.
Then it came to my turn to try shooting and I must confess it was not easy as I was conscious of standing side on and trying to focus the arrow at the target’s bull’s eye with my hand holding the bow moving a little before releasing the arrow but to my amazement of the seven arrows I fired, they all hit the target board in the lower area.
I then watched the members shooting again and their analysis of their arrow strikes and adjustments of further shots and my mind was starting to realise this was not as easy as it looked.
Then came my second shoot and I was a little more relaxed and thinking through my technique with the individual shots but on the very last shot, I thought I don’t want to miss the board as I will have to walk down the field to search for and find the arrow and as I was releasing the arrow it slipped out of the guide and it was gone and the search then was underway but I had managed to get the other 6 arrows grouped again in the lower area of the target board.
It was a very fascinating experience requiring lots of concentration and adjustments and all though I was hitting the lower part of the board the arrows were all close together in a group so I will go back and try again and discover more about the art of archery and try and lift my shoot group of arrows so they are closer to the target center.
Thank you guys for inviting me to share time with you and lifting my spirits and it was good to see the pictures posted on your Facebook page Lambousa Archers by Ian Titterton and the comment by Nick Gough who said “Great pictures Ian and good shooting. First time on the line for Chris Elliott releasing his inner archer, well done Chris.
Thanks, everyone for a lovely morning’s archery we’ll be there again next Saturday.“
Pictures courtesy of Ian Titterton
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