Having been instructed by Furface (in penance for starting an "archery babe" thread that ran for about 7 pages) to start a serious thread - here's my attempt.
As I understand it (please correct any misconceptions), GNAS has only longbow as a traditional classification totally ignoring the increasing numbers of American Flat bow (AFB) and horsebow shooters who are popping up. These bows count as barebows (or if using a thumb ring - using a release aid!!) and so have to compete with modern barebows putting them at a massive disadvantage and so suppressing their use in gnas competitions.
So why are gnas leaving this situation like this?
Surely it would not be impossible to include horsebows in the longbow category - they are, after all, compatriots from the same era. Secondly (assuming I'm right about this) why are thumb rings treated as release aids when tabs are not - they do the same job in the same way?
Flatbows with their arrow shelves might have to be treated slightly different but surely thats just a case of a slightly higher ratio of points to handicap in classification tables to offset the more regular rest for the arrow (as opposed to the side of your hand/thumb).
I have heard it suggested its a form of 'traditional snobbery' - that longbow is the traditional form of archery in this country and IT SHALL NOT be polluted by these "furrin" ways OR is it simply inertia from having to change the categories/handicap tables which gnas dont actually own. However as the growth of horse/afb archery increases it may be that ultimately gnas has no choice but to accept change or alienate a growing proportion of its members. In the two clubs I shoot at on a regular basis we must have at least a dozen afb/horse bows all shot by regularly practising archers who are increasingly turning to field archery.
How do the trad shooters here on AIUK feel about this?
Is gnas right to avoid the the traditional with the only sop to the past being the longbow or is this a conspiracy by the real ale and beard brigade to keep traditional archery pure and untainted by those who think short, bandy legged, furry hat wearing horsemen were so d@mn good?
As I understand it (please correct any misconceptions), GNAS has only longbow as a traditional classification totally ignoring the increasing numbers of American Flat bow (AFB) and horsebow shooters who are popping up. These bows count as barebows (or if using a thumb ring - using a release aid!!) and so have to compete with modern barebows putting them at a massive disadvantage and so suppressing their use in gnas competitions.
So why are gnas leaving this situation like this?
Surely it would not be impossible to include horsebows in the longbow category - they are, after all, compatriots from the same era. Secondly (assuming I'm right about this) why are thumb rings treated as release aids when tabs are not - they do the same job in the same way?
Flatbows with their arrow shelves might have to be treated slightly different but surely thats just a case of a slightly higher ratio of points to handicap in classification tables to offset the more regular rest for the arrow (as opposed to the side of your hand/thumb).
I have heard it suggested its a form of 'traditional snobbery' - that longbow is the traditional form of archery in this country and IT SHALL NOT be polluted by these "furrin" ways OR is it simply inertia from having to change the categories/handicap tables which gnas dont actually own. However as the growth of horse/afb archery increases it may be that ultimately gnas has no choice but to accept change or alienate a growing proportion of its members. In the two clubs I shoot at on a regular basis we must have at least a dozen afb/horse bows all shot by regularly practising archers who are increasingly turning to field archery.
How do the trad shooters here on AIUK feel about this?
Is gnas right to avoid the the traditional with the only sop to the past being the longbow or is this a conspiracy by the real ale and beard brigade to keep traditional archery pure and untainted by those who think short, bandy legged, furry hat wearing horsemen were so d@mn good?