Good and not so good!

On Saturday I had a particularly good practise. As normal, I shoot 4 rounds of 25 arrows at 10 metres. 90% were in 8 ring or better, 65% gold, 28% scored 10 and 9% were in or touched the inmost ring.

That made it even more frustrating the next day when I attended the Lough Cuan Bowmen's Ice Breaker Shoot. I didn't shoot that badly, but I just couldn't get the confidence together to shoot really well. Of course, some shots were difficult, longer range, shooting up or down hill, but even on relatively straight forward shots I was trying too hard, not relaxing into it! I guess I need more practise at those trickier situations

What is "normal" ability?

I was shooting at the Lough Cuan Bowmen's weekly meeting when I shot this group at 25 metres with a 70lb horsebow. The frustrating thing is that this should not have been exceptional (which, of course, it was), it should be normal!

I shoot instinctively. My practise at home, at 10 metres, has improved considerably. About 25% are within the inner gold, about 50% score somewhere in the gold generally and above 80% are within the next red ring, scoring 8 or above. However, what is interesting is the difference in the feeling for the various shots. 10% of my shots are really accurate, hitting or touching the tiny inner circle. When I shoot one of these I am totally at ease - then I become aware of what I am doing and the moment is lost! It is not often that I can keep my awareness at bay for three successive shots, as happened yesterday at the Archery club (although I think awareness was creeping back in with the last shot, which went fractionally low)!

For the rest of my news, I got my longbow at the start of last year. Had it break in May, due to a flaw in the outer stave. Under guarantee, but still waiting for its replacement. Got a my present Chinese made horsebow to keep me shooting in the meantime. It has worked out very well. 60lbs at 28inch draw but safe to draw to 31inches. I draw to 30inches, which works out at about 70lbs.