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The History
Fire. Speech. The Bow & Arrow. These have been compared as three of the great cultural advances by early man - giant leaps for mankind in another era.
The earliest artwork showing the bow & arrow is in Egypt - drawn about 5000 years ago, although historians date its invention back at least 25,000 years. The Egyptians used bows to hunt and as weapons of war. Before long, the bow & arrow was added to the armoury of civilisations throughout the ancient world, from the Mediterranean to the Far East, Africa and the Americas.
Around 1500 BC, the Assyrians developed the recurve bow, with the ability to bend back providing greater power and easier handling. The recurve bow has been refined over the years - with fibreglass, carbon graphite and aluminium now the materials of choice, but the basic design principle is still used in today's Olympic archery competitions.
In the Middle Ages, the English took a particular liking to archery. From the days of William the Conqueror, the longbow became the weapon of choice and is credited with victories in the battles of Crecy, Agincourt and Poitiers. As the legend of Robin Hood suggests (the famed outlaw won an archery contest by splitting a rival's arrow with his own), the bow & arrow was used in sporting competitions as well as in warfare.
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The Club
The interest in Archery in Guernsey can be traced back to 1875 and we still compete annually for the ‘1879’ trophy.
The Club membership is increasing with the popularity of the sport. We now have 43 members, including a junior section of six.
The Bowmen of Guernsey are affiliated to the Rovers Athletic Club and shoot outdoors between April and September, enjoying the use of all the club’s facilities. In the winter we shoot indoors at Elizabeth College.
With such excellent facilities at the Rovers AC ground at Port Soif, the Club is able to offer corporate days and “have a go” sessions. The Club boasts three archers who shoot regularly for the Hampshire county team, along with several Channel Island Champions. To enable us to improve techniques and shooting skills, the Club has paid to bring nationally recognised coaches to the Island. Some members have also paid to receive individual tuition as and when they have felt it necessary and when they have been able to afford it.
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Goals
To promote and raise the public awareness of Archery as a sporting discipline and promote the spirit of sportsmanship and friendliness associated with Guernsey and foster the ideals of enjoying the competition is every bit as important as the winning of the event.
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Competition
In the summer months, we compete for several club and sponsored trophies. We also support nationally recognised shoots including The Jersey Triple, Euro Nations and the Island Games. In the winter, due to the lack of local competition, we shoot in ‘Postal Leagues’ - allowing us to compete with Archery clubs throughout Great Britain.
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