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WAC Traditional Day – 2013
Wendouree Archery Club held their 2nd Traditional Day on the 24th November 2013 at Prince of Wales Park.
Forty participants and nearly as many spectators enjoyed themselves along with knights in shining armour, Vikings, crusaders, Yeomen archers, princesses (including a Scottish one), ladies, Korean warriors and even a court jester.
Before lunch the Ballarat and the Melbourne Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) re-enactment groups gave a talk on the history of the weapons used and then the fun began. A fully armoured ‘Sir Lewis’ walked towards a group of archers with light poundage bows and specialist arrows. This was then followed by a sword-fighting exhibition.
Immediately following was a wonderful presentation on the history of horse archery around the world given by Lord Phil from Kryal Castle. He then gave a wonderful display whilst riding a magnificent grey horse named Jeffery.
The participants and spectators were then treated to a wonderful feast for lunch.
Following lunch, five members of Leongatha 14th Century Longbow Medieval Society gave a history of life during that time, including weapons, especially the English warbow and arrows used.
We were then treated to a demonstration of the devastating power of the English warbow, as two of their members shot with an 81lb and a 107lb draw weight bow shooting at a fully armored display. The results were spectacular.
A series of three archery competitions rounded out the day’s events. ‘Shooting the wand’, a test of skill with a narrow target and specialized arrow, was won by Keith, while Amber took out the speed round, a test of accuracy with a 30-second time limit. Honours in the final contest, the Lords’ and Ladies’ Shoot-Off, were taken home by ‘Lord Michael’.
The Ladies have vowed to reverse this result in 2014.
