Horse Archery

Written by Glen Percy

This article is from the February 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

Horse Archery is an exhilarating, fast growing sport around the world right now, taking off over the last 15 years. Based on our ancient history of warfare, hunting and sport - shooting an arrow from a fast moving horse has been used for thousands of years. We’ve all heard of Attila the Hun and Ghengis Khan, warlords made famous due to their winning ways thanks to the rapid fire and ability of their horse archers. The sport now uses ‘regular’ archery targets and the sense of accomplishment when hitting that target or bullseye is phenomenal.

Today’s sport, like any, has rules, ours mostly based around the modern ‘ground’ archery sport but now mixing the horsemanship requirements to shoot from your horse, with no reins. As this sport has been grown over the last 20 years a system has been formulated. Most ‘runs’ are set in a rope laneway which keeps your horse heading in the correct direction whilst you drop the reins and shoot your bow. The bows, whilst maintaining their traditional look, a majority of them being a short recurve bow (but not all) are required to be a one piece bow, no shelfs, cutaway or sights. Today they are made from modern materials (carbon fibre, fibreglass and wood), the arrows are again of modern materials, and like any archery, are made to suit the bow you are using. Rules have changed a bit over the years with regards to the quivers (where the arrows are kept), but now because of today’s current insurance requirements and safety standards they need to be attached to the upper leg or torso only.

What are the different grades?
At International level competition the canter is the gait used and depending on the tracks you are competing on it will depend on the required speed. However, thanks to Katrina Kruse from Australia, who wrote the rules and got it going here, the world is now embracing the slower paces in the sport. Walk and trot are now competed up to National level in many countries around the world and in the International Postal Matches run by the IHAA.

What sorts of tracks are there and how are they set up?
Most tracks are set up in a straight line or ‘racetrack curve’ of 130 metres long with a 90 metre shooting zone using rope barriers to keep the horse on track. As the sport has developed there are now more curved and cross country style tracks with partially roped ‘runway’ sections at targets enabling the rider to drop their reins to shoot.

Horse training is obviously paramount for this sport, but is very simple to do with the right techniques and consistency in training. I find voice to be the best method to teach a new horse all about this sport and to control your speed and paces.

How can people get started in the sport?
Clinics run for a full day or two to get you started as there is a lot of safety aspects to be covered, and many students have not shot a bow before, so this skill needs to be taught. The horses then need to be introduced to the bow and arrows and shot besides them to desensitise them prior to mounting and shooting from their backs. Day two is spent consolidating, plus adding and teaching additional skills to both the archer and the horse.
Medieval Horse Sports Australia also host a top 10 World Level International instructor each year at their annual Aussie Bow Camps, which run for a week and fast track students. Many have gone onto competing Internationally after attending one of these camps. You’ll find the details for these at www.medievalhorsesports.com.au.

What are the rules and how is it judged?
The rules of the sport are fairly simple with regard to the paces required for each grade, canter being the only one timed with speed bonuses or penalties for going over, or under the par time for the different tracks. Target score zones are different depending on the track being competed but a bullseye will always give you the highest score.

Any breed of horse can be used, plus any tack and riding attire. At International level traditional riding attire is encouraged to show the heritage of the sport and the riders home country. You will find around the world the local breeds are most popular and the re-emergence of the traditional style horse archer saddle is growing, but still mostly any saddles are used that we are all familiar with.

What opportunities are available to Australian horse archers?
What this sport has to offer those who wish, is the ability to travel and compete Internationally, you will be lent a horse by the competition organisers, so you don’t need to take your own horse.

You just need to take your bows and arrows, get yourself there, meet your horse a day or two before the event and enjoy the competition and new friends you make.

Australia has some very recognised horse archers on the International scene, Two of them being Katrina Kruse (Qld) and her student Adrianna Della France (WA) both being Triple Gold Medalists at the WHAF World Championships held in South Korea, with Katrina also adding a silver medal from this event plus many placings and wins in Japan over the last 5 years.

Australia being such a large country, leads to a very spread out group of horse archers. Most states hold a State Competition each year with a National Championship being held with an opportunity to hire a horse for interstate and New Zealand riders.

For those who can ride, I find the sport is easy to pick up as they just need to learn the archery component. For archers who wish to take up the sport they will need to learn to ride.

The best way to learn anything is to get the best instruction. Fortunately in Australia the founder of this sport here runs the leading school, Medieval Horse Sports Australia, holding clinics all over the country and New Zealand. Katrina also started the AHAA and is a founding member of the IHAA putting many hundreds of hours back into the sport she loves. Medieval Horse Sports Australia (MHSA) also sell all the correct equipment for the sport, which you won’t find in many archery stores.

For more information:
Medieval Horse Sports Australia (MHSA) - www.medievalhorsesports.com.au
International Horseback Archery Alliance (IHAA) - www.horsebackarchery.info