Allan Jones, a member of the Pattaya Archery Club, recently shot a perfect score of 60 points with his recurve bow, shooting six consecutive arrows, each one embedded in the ten-zone … which is just 8cm across.
This was at a distance of 30 metres and was the club’s first-ever perfect score shot under the pressure of a competition.
Allan and his perfect score of 60.
This is no mean feat, as it is difficult enough to get a perfect score in training … but to shoot this accurately whilst under the extra disciplines and stress of competing against other skilled archers is an exceptional achievement.
As the club has been in existence for over six years, it is almost impossible to calculate just how many arrows have been shot at that distance … must be many, many thousands.
Unfortunately for Allan he won no medal, nor cash, nor a bottle of wine; but the honour of being the club’s first perfect scorer, in a competition, will stay with him forever … or at least until someone shoots a perfect score at 50 metres distance, in a competition … which will be the next milestone in the club’s history.
That may take some time though, as those extra 20 metres increase the difficulty enormously. But as archery is all about challenges, both personal and in competition; some club member, some day, will score a perfect 60/60 at 50 metres.
From left, Eric, Poppy, Philippe and Claude.
However several archers have already scored five golds in one end of six arrows at 50 metres, but a perfect score of 60/60 at 50 metres is still some time away … unless Allan can claim that record, too!
All these scores have been achieved with modern Olympic-style recurve bows … which illustrates just how much of a legend was the famous “Robin Hood” feat of splitting an arrow with another arrow. Robin Hood (if he existed) only used an English (or Welsh?) longbow, a “bent stick” as they are sometimes called … which is like comparing Robin’s use of a flintlock musket with Allan’s use of a modern snipers’ rifle.
A further eight archers – one Thai lady, nicknamed Poppy and seven farang men: Eric and Richard (England); Rik (Belgium); Gilles, Gilbert, Philippe and Claude (France) – have each scored 59 with six consecutive arrows (5 x 10s and 1 x 9) but that last 10 has proved very elusive. Up to now.
Also there are a number of recent newcomers to Pattaya Archery Club who are practising shooting at 30 metres and developing their techniques, and so it won’t be long before they, too start getting high scores.
Certainly the standard of archery in the club has been substantially raised since its inception in early 2006, when all the newcomers thought they were doing well just to get all six arrows on a target at 20 metres. And if one of their six arrows hit the gold, well that was a good excuse for a beer! How times have changed.
Trying archery in Pattaya
Pattaya Archery Club shoots on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, beginning at 10.00 am and finishing at about noon or thereafter. Anyone – Thai or farang, young or old, man or woman – is welcome to come along to the Pattaya Shooting Park in Hua Yai and find out what it is all about.
Beginners’ Coaching is held on a Tuesday and/or a Saturday. The Coach’s services and the use of the club’s bows, arrows and other equipment are free for beginners, and so it costs nothing to see if this challenging sport is for you.
For more details visit Pattaya Archery Club’s website at www.pattayaarcheryclub.com, or telephone Eric, the club’s President, on 089 535 1193.
