Stickbow Target Archery Forums

Well I've had some ups and quite a few downs in preperation for this tourney 25th March-1st Apriln
Started shooting in Jan after a long layoff from shooting and I've worked very hard to build my game back up, shooting some good practise scores around 240-250's but nowhere near the IFAA Longbow indoor record of 266.
I shot the EFAA Indoor Nationals a couple of weeks ago and disaster struck and had a complete breakdown of form, not sure if it was the medication I was on for my Jaw or just lack of confidence from being out of the tourney game for so long, saving grace being that I managed to pull back 3rd place. I'm now off the medication and been working hard to rebuild my form\confidence, back up to 240-250's which I think is all I can expect at this stage.
Germany should be interesting as I have no idea how things will pan out, normally I have a pretty good idea how I will end up in the final running so at least it will be exciting journey into the unknown for me.

That's the spirit!n
I'm the same way in the sense that my tournament shooting is always so significantly different than my practice shooting. I never know how I'm going to do under pressure.
And the tourneys I go to are few and far between, so progress is slow when it comes to figuring out strategies for beating the pressure.

I'll be interested to hear how you do
Good luck!

Thanks Todd, good day today with a high of 257 although I may have overdone things by shooting 4 rounds, phew thats nearly 500 arrows with a 50lb Longbow sure wears you out.

I'll give an account of my trip when I return, so far just over 30 Longbows booked in to this tourney with Cristian Wilhamstatter 2003 European Bowhunter champion and was just behind Redbow at the IBO worlds a couple of years back so the competition is going to be worth the trip.
I'm looking at this tourney as a warm up to the World Bowhunters in Switzerland and a fastrack method to get my shooting form back in the groove, seems easy shooting just one arrow into an animal face\3D and walking away, shooting 120 near perfect arrows sure is a drain physically and mentally.

Might one ask what is your setup, bow, arrows, fletching etc.

50lb @ 27" 21st Century Edge, for Field\3D I use 11/32 100g points 4" fletch Rogue River POC's for this indoor round I've tried some Doug fir with 125g points and a strong 5" helical fletch, the RR weigh around 410 grains and the Doug Fir around 530 grains. I went for a heavier arrow to try and slow things down give more arrow stability and a smaller gap, they fly nice but the gap is still too big at 20 yards to make any real difference, but the theory was solid and it was worth a try.

Decided to have a rest yesterday and the rest of the weekend think I pushing too hard as I shot a poor score yesterday so decided to quit and come back to the training after a good rest, gonna shoot a animal round on Sunday so that will make for a nice change and a relaxed day out.

Steve, I know you shoot longbow -- but you probably know this anyway -- what kind of a turnout do you get out your way for bowhunter recurve class (the NFAA traditional class)?

ArcCaster; For the Bowhunter and 3D rounds in Europe I think Recurve Bowhunter class is the next biggest class behind Longbow. A lot depends on the country.

England big with the English Longbow, Estonia very big with the American Longbow, Italy big into Recurves and Longbows, some archery shops in Italy dont even have Compounds for sale and very few metal recurve risers, they all seem to like the beauty of wood.

Thanks Steve -- maybe I am Italian at heart

Well just got back yesterday morning had a great time,(shoot all day party all night) a long journey to southern Germay but great fun driving down the Autobahns at 130+ mph.

Had a very bad start to the touney, felt the nerves and pressure and after the first days shooting was in 6th place, on the second day shot with an Estonian Gunnar and we seems to encourage each other and I pulled up into 3rd place, because of my bad start even though Christian Wilhelstatter was 2nd and I beat him every day after the first day it just wasn't enough to catch up. The German Bernd was just a just a shooting machine
Great tourney which has given me a great confidence boost towards Switzerland tourney in July

Good job! 3rd is certainly admirable!

Congratulations!n You came back strong after your surgery and the resulting layoff! You da man!!!n
BTW, did you shoot the POC arrows or the Douglas Fir?

I changed back to the POC's, just a confidence thing the Doug Firs shoot nice but I just love the way those RR shafts fly.