Merensky hosts 2017 Limpopo Field Archery championships
Merensky's budding archery club successfully hosted the Limpopo Field Championships on its homeground on October 14-15.
After registration and a traditional archery breakfast bun at “The Voerkraal”, a record of 83 competitors tackled the field course set out on the Plasie terrain.
On Saturday they shivered their way through 6 hours of competition, but the weather radically changed on day 2 into blazing hot. An adventurous range of 28 butts were set out amongst a natural hunting environment and covered a walking distance of 7km. Four arrows were shot per target and participants were scored based on their groupings.
This type of competition is challenging in the respect that it forces the archers to navigate rocky and often uneven terrains loaded with shrubbery, trees, mud and outcrops that obscure the view of the target.
The maximum distance for adults (over 17) and veterans (over 55) is 80 yards, juniors (13 to 17) is 50 yards and cubs (up to 12 years) is 30 yards. During this tough competition 3 national records were set and there were a total of 61 national qualifiers and 28 provincial qualifiers were reached.
erensky’s archery club boasts 9 participating archers which attained podium recognition at the medal awards in their various categories: Gold: Sean Hunt (YAMFU), Dewald Haagner (YAMBU), Lin-Mari Theron (YAFBU) and Canell Jackson (JFBU).
Silver: Ryan Jackson (YAMFU) and Rohan Wewege (YAMBU). Bronz: Izelri Theron. Ashley Hunt and Dawie Theron achieve a 4thplace in their respective fields. Merensky’s archers are using every opportunity in preparing themselves to represent the school at the World Archery Field championships in 2018.
