Why the animosity?

bijou

Just wondered if you folks could tell me if there really does exist an animosity between those who do the different types of archery?

For example those who use trad bows (field/instinctive) versus those who use recurve (indoor target).

I recently had an encounter with someone (a very experienced person) who coaches in trad/instinctive and they basically spat on the idea of recurve bows "with their aerial antennas and plastic sticks for arrows" as well as indoor target shooting as a whole and (in a snotty voice) "how can it be enjoyable as it's just a bunch of snobby people trying to outdo each other - where's the fun in that?".

They even appeared to "diss" another coach (the 2 coaches know each other by the way) and it also appeared the trad coach had nothing but contempt towards the IAAA.

Humour and joking about someone's choice in archery I can handle and I am well able to take the proverbial out of myself but the sarcasm from this person was unreal and I was surprised at their attitude to honest.

I and my family all use recurve bows by the way (although one of us is starting to lean towards a longbow), but we all thoroughly enjoy it (we are members of a club which has a mixture of both recurve and trad). Practice days are a mixture of serious and fun, but the atmosphere is above all great - no "snobbiness" at all.

I thought that there would have been some form of mutual respect for each of the different types of archery or am I just being naive?

maughantourig

In our club, we (recurve majority) used to joke with the compound shooters that compound bows take the skill out of shooting, but that was only because we didn't have fancy compound bows

Usually people just joke when they mock other forms of archery. Nobody takes it too seriously; most archers seem to be laid back and fairly easy going when they are shooting.

Having been in an archery club and having taken part in competitions, I can confirm that there's no snobbery. Sounds like the man you were talking about was a bit of a príck who I'm guessing may have tried recurve archery and possibly had some bad personal experiences with one or two other shooters. Or alternatively, he could be a snob who provoked that response in other people.

And as for trying to 'outdo' each other, well, it is a competitive sport...

So you're not being naïve. Most archers will have respect for other forms of shooting. It sounds like your man was just a total jackass.

bijou

Thanks maughantourig - I know it sounded like a bit of a rant but I was kind of taken aback by his attitude.

maughantourig wrote: »

And as for trying to 'outdo' each other, well, it is a competitive sport...

So you're not being naïve. Most archers will have respect for other forms of shooting. It sounds like your man was just a total jackass.

Exactly, it's a competitive sport - what else should he expect? I guess I was just disappointed at his lack of respect.

Merch

maughantourig wrote: »

In our club, we (recurve majority) used to joke with the compound shooters that compound bows take the skill out of shooting, but that was only because we didn't have fancy compound bows

Usually people just joke when they mock other forms of archery. Nobody takes it too seriously; most archers seem to be laid back and fairly easy going when they are shooting.

Having been in an archery club and having taken part in competitions, I can confirm that there's no snobbery. Sounds like the man you were talking about was a bit of a príck who I'm guessing may have tried recurve archery and possibly had some bad personal experiences with one or two other shooters. Or alternatively, he could be a snob who provoked that response in other people.

And as for trying to 'outdo' each other, well, it is a competitive sport...

So you're not being naïve. Most archers will have respect for other forms of shooting. It sounds like your man was just a total jackass.

While I have no real experience in Archery other than a few intros, I dont know whether its an Irish thing or what? but the amount of sporting activities I have participated in, there are always people who for what reason I cannot fathom, either deride, ridicule, criticise other sports or those that participate in them or variations of the same sport or even other members of the same sporting activity as some routine activity.

So long as someone is out doing the sport or activity (legitimate) they enjoy, I cant understand why anyone would care if someone else is doing that, in my experience these critical people are NOT few and far between, they will go so far as to undermine their own sport and not know when to draw the line at wisecracks, hiding behind the, its only a joke, its negative and taking a swipe at anyone that does anything marginally different or different to their version or anyone that tries to improve themselves in the same activity.

These people are everywhere

greysides

I think your experience says more about the man than anything else.

Rubecula

It is not an Irish thing, you get idiots everywhere. The Archery club near me is a friendly happy place with people of all disciplines helping each other. Yes they joke a bit but it is all in fun and they are there to advise less experienced folks. One trad shooter actually makes and gives away bows on occasion to recurve shooters so they can try their hand at different types of shooting.

So I can only assume this OP incident is a one off. You get them, don't worry about it.

bjpower

I think most of it is done in good fun. but you will find one or two die hards around the place that for some unknown reason find other forms of archery offensive.

We have one lady in our club that shoots a horse bow everyone has had a shot or 2 great fun.

personally i don't see why we have so many different governing bodies - but that's a different can of worms entirely