Bowmen brothers right on target
ARCHERY BROTHERS Harry and Max Smith were on target when they both won two trophies in national competitions
Max, 11, a student at Haslingden High School, and Harry, 13, a student at Fearns Community Sports College, Stacksteads, are both members of Team Firebird from Gawthorpe Forresters, along with their dad Nathan.
Max said: “My dad and Harry have been doing archery for over six years and I joined them about two years ago.”
At the National Field Archery Society 2018 3D ●● Max Smith championships at Flete Estate in Devon and a second NFAS national competition in Cornbury Park Estate in Oxfordshire, Max won ‘club boy’ with his longbow while Harry won ‘junior boy’ with his compound bow.
Max’s longbow is taller than him and he was shooting at 3D ●● Harry Smith bosses, which are solid straw filled targets that were in the shape of animals including buffalo, tigers, leopards and many more.
Max said: “In Devon in my class I had to complete two courses with 50 targets in each over two days.
“There were more than 300 people competing, although it was not as busy as last year.
“I think it is fun doing archery and it gets me out of the house and going into the woods where there is wildlife and fungi and trees. I also like meeting up with my archery friends every Wednesday.”
Harry said: “In Devon it was sometimes slippy and sometimes the targets were far away. You get three arrows to hit each target and if you hit the target with the first you can then move on.
“I am a bit nervous before a competition because you don’t know what the other competitors are going to be like and sometimes they are better than me.”
Harry has to shoot at the targets from a 20 yard distance, whereas the adults can be as far away at 40 yards.
He added: “I enjoy it because I am getting out and about. I have been competing for more than six years and have won a lot of trophies.”
Max hopes to be an archery coach and eventually run his own club; he would also like to be a NFAS safety official so he would be responsible for checking courses to make sure everything is done properly.