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Australian athletes compete in horseback archery world championships in Mongolia www.abc.net.au

Bow and arrow at his side, horseback archer Don Woods would not look out of place in a medieval battlefield — but it is a far cry from his home on a station north of Cooktown, in far north Queensland.

It is also a long way from Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, where he is competing for the first time at the 2023 International Horse Archery Alliance (IHAA) World Championships, which started this week and run until September 10.

After a series of delays and setbacks arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's IHAA event has attracted more than 50 competitors from 20 countries

Horseback archery is exactly what it sounds like — athletes shoot arrows at targets up to 50 metres away, aiming for precision, speed, good form and a bullseye.

All while riding a 700-odd-kilogram animal, of course.

Practising in a paddock with his horse Betty, Mr Woods said it was an honour to be chosen for the world stage.

"Pretty epic really," he said.

"It's a completely different ball game – Mongolians basically invented the sport; it was a way of life for them in the past.

"It's a matter of going over to basically the best."

Also headed for Mongolia is New South Wales woman Liberty Deaman, who along with her partner Rodney and daughter Amelia, makes up the rest of Australia's world championship team.

The rider, who is based in Tarago, in the Southern Tablelands, said the family had been involved in the sport for 10 years.

"The love and the passion for the sport has grown since then," she said.

Riders champing at the bit for return
The first horseback archery world championships were held in Hungary in 2018.

Initially envisioned as a biennial event, the last world title was scheduled to be held in France but the pandemic brought all events to a halt in 2020.

Ms Deaman said it had taken years to get back to full capacity, with the second world championships finally underway in Mongolia this week.

"It was pretty heartbreaking at the time," she said.

"In Australia, we did wind up having to cease pretty much all competition and training across the country, which was a bit unfortunate.

"[We] lost the opportunity for a number of people to become interested in the sport.

young man holding a bow with quiver of arrows on his back holding the reins of a brown horse
"Which is a big disappointment for our community."

But she was delighted that this year had seen state, national and international competitions charge ahead at full speed.

"Oh, it's fantastic," she said.

"The fact that we're able to start to share this sport with people around the place is really special and really important to me."

Weaving fantasy, thrill and skill
For Mr Woods, the love of archery was born out of his childhood dreams.

"Most little boys go through the Robin Hood stage," he said.

"I got my first bow on my ninth Christmas and I remember the excitement … after that there was no real stopping me!"

Five years ago he combined it with his love of horse riding.

"I haven't looked back since," he said.

Riding his horse Betty along a fenced strip in a paddock, and shooting at three home-made targets, he said the sport is about speed and focus.

"It's certainly not what I'd describe as a slow sport," he said.

"You have to be completely focused on the target.

"There's simply the bow and the target; and of course, the horse underneath you but just sort of hoping they do as you ask."

For Ms Deaman the skill of the sport is a drawcard.

"The complexity of riding a horse without holding onto the reins whilst shooting a bow and arrow at pace is something that a lot of people find quite interesting and exciting," she said.

"It has grounding in many countries … and so there's history that goes back in terms of hunting and sport.

"Horse archery is quite a diverse and dynamic sport."

Widening the target
Other riders are starting to take notice.

Pony Club Australia recognised the discipline two years ago and the organisation's Sally Wiseman said it was giving young riders options beyond show jumping, dressage and cross-country.

"Because it's very tactical with your bow and arrow, it really has diversified the offering for our members," she said.

"It's been very, very popular with the kids."

Far north Queenslander Selena Harding runs clinics for the keen pony clubbers.

She also competes — she and colleague Brian McCarthy have also just taken part in Mongolia's national horseback archery event.

She said the sport was accessible to a whole range of people.

"It doesn't matter what age you are, if you've got the dexterity to be able to hold a bow and arrow," she said.

"It's just really addictive to see how you can get better, how you can get faster.

"It's all about fun."

Published Date:2023-09-07

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Australian athletes compete in horseback archery world championships in Mongolia www.abc.net.au

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