With Regards to the British GNAS rules on Thumbring shooting
Hello All,
First and foremost it is perfectly legal to shoot with a Thumbring in GNAS shoots.
Basically, there are no rules on Thumbring shooting, so when I discovered that Thumbring using Archers must shoot as Compound Unlimited in tournaments as the Thumbring was not a tab or glove, I was slightly miffed. Therefore I wrote off to the Director of Operations and suggested a rule change, to place the Thumbring inside the 'Recurve' sphere of archery.
I have now received a reply, and the idea is going to go in front of a committee around the 22nd September.
I have been advised that the best way to win the committee over is to show that there are enough Archers for the rule to justly effect.
If I may then, could any GNAS tournament going archers, or indeed anyone here who knows that there are others out there, give a rough estimate as to how many Thumbring Archers they know?
I am fully expecting it to be a minuscule minority
Regards
Mike Hardman
First and foremost it is perfectly legal to shoot with a Thumbring in GNAS shoots.
Basically, there are no rules on Thumbring shooting, so when I discovered that Thumbring using Archers must shoot as Compound Unlimited in tournaments as the Thumbring was not a tab or glove, I was slightly miffed. Therefore I wrote off to the Director of Operations and suggested a rule change, to place the Thumbring inside the 'Recurve' sphere of archery.
I have now received a reply, and the idea is going to go in front of a committee around the 22nd September.
I have been advised that the best way to win the committee over is to show that there are enough Archers for the rule to justly effect.
If I may then, could any GNAS tournament going archers, or indeed anyone here who knows that there are others out there, give a rough estimate as to how many Thumbring Archers they know?
I am fully expecting it to be a minuscule minority
Regards
Mike Hardman
Mike,
I've seen a big, fat zero. GNAS rules are pretty steadily driving most 'Trad' archers towards other organisations. A while ago, I mentioned my experience when discussing bamboo arrows with one of the judges. Oddly, bamboo arrows are mentioned in the Longbow category but not in Traditional, I have been informed since that there is talk of bamboo being disallowed as an arrow material, though I don't know if this is true.
I tried in the past to get a new category, 'Asiatic', that would encompass our bow types and allow us some fair play, since we are forced to shoot in the Traditional class, alongside archers with modern recurves who are 'Trad' purely by virtue of using wooden arrows :?
I met with the same dilema that you face, not enough numbers to warrant a change.
From that point I decided that my competition would be my own last score. Not ideal but I still get to do what I really enjoy.
Compound Unlimited does sound ridiculous but I would be inclined to enter in that class just to prove how stupid the rule is and, like me, you will still be doing what you really enjoy.
I've seen a big, fat zero. GNAS rules are pretty steadily driving most 'Trad' archers towards other organisations. A while ago, I mentioned my experience when discussing bamboo arrows with one of the judges. Oddly, bamboo arrows are mentioned in the Longbow category but not in Traditional, I have been informed since that there is talk of bamboo being disallowed as an arrow material, though I don't know if this is true.
I tried in the past to get a new category, 'Asiatic', that would encompass our bow types and allow us some fair play, since we are forced to shoot in the Traditional class, alongside archers with modern recurves who are 'Trad' purely by virtue of using wooden arrows :?
I met with the same dilema that you face, not enough numbers to warrant a change.
From that point I decided that my competition would be my own last score. Not ideal but I still get to do what I really enjoy.
Compound Unlimited does sound ridiculous but I would be inclined to enter in that class just to prove how stupid the rule is and, like me, you will still be doing what you really enjoy.
I decided that I may as well ask, because it'd be doing everyone a favour if successful, and if not, nevermind.
Although this isn't strictly true, as I have no idea how aware the 'average' archer is of traditional styles, its rather a Catch-22, as no one who shoots in GNAS will shoot anything Traditional (except Longbow) and be able to recieve any credit for it, therefore no change will be made to accomodate it.
I'm not even sure that I could shoot in a fair category in the NFAS, as primitive requires a horn-sinew bow or varition on the theme.
Still, heres hoping
Mike
Although this isn't strictly true, as I have no idea how aware the 'average' archer is of traditional styles, its rather a Catch-22, as no one who shoots in GNAS will shoot anything Traditional (except Longbow) and be able to recieve any credit for it, therefore no change will be made to accomodate it.
I'm not even sure that I could shoot in a fair category in the NFAS, as primitive requires a horn-sinew bow or varition on the theme.
Still, heres hoping
Mike
You would certainly be allowed to use the thumb draw at SPTA meets, they even cover horse archery but I'm not sure how many events they hold each year.
Yes, NFAS has its limitations also, as does IFAA. This is why I remained in GNAS, as my club, Pentref Bowmen, is only about 10 miles away.
Yes, NFAS has its limitations also, as does IFAA. This is why I remained in GNAS, as my club, Pentref Bowmen, is only about 10 miles away.
I'm British and I do appear on the shores of Albion occasionally. So there's a miniscule chance that I could end up wanting to shoot at a GNAS event. And it would definitely be with a thumb draw (though I don't use the ring much.)
Are there prohibitions on the thumb draw without a ring? Perhaps that's the way to go.
Are there prohibitions on the thumb draw without a ring? Perhaps that's the way to go.
Stephen,
To the best of my knowledge, this ruling only applies to the use of a thumbring. My wife and I shoot in the Traditional class which requires a fixed anchor, no face or string walking. Whereas I use a Mediterranean split finger draw, my wife cannot cope with the 'pinch' and has always gone with three fingers under the arrow. Equipment inspection includes the bow, arrows and tab, when it comes to the tab I'd simply say 'I don't use one' :wink: However, I will ask the Judges at the Welsh and Open field shoot on 22nd and 23rd of this month and let you know.
This past weekend we were marshalls at the the Pre World event, a trial run for the World Champs that our club are hosting next September. Sadly, this event is held under FITA rules and there is no Trad or Longbow classification, therefore no wooden arrows :roll:
I will certainly be voicing my disappointment at what can only be described as discrimination. There is no point mentioning the thoughts of various sighted archers that I discussed this issue with.
It just seemed kind of ironic that the final day was staged at St Fagan's National Heritage Museum grounds.
To the best of my knowledge, this ruling only applies to the use of a thumbring. My wife and I shoot in the Traditional class which requires a fixed anchor, no face or string walking. Whereas I use a Mediterranean split finger draw, my wife cannot cope with the 'pinch' and has always gone with three fingers under the arrow. Equipment inspection includes the bow, arrows and tab, when it comes to the tab I'd simply say 'I don't use one' :wink: However, I will ask the Judges at the Welsh and Open field shoot on 22nd and 23rd of this month and let you know.
This past weekend we were marshalls at the the Pre World event, a trial run for the World Champs that our club are hosting next September. Sadly, this event is held under FITA rules and there is no Trad or Longbow classification, therefore no wooden arrows :roll:
I will certainly be voicing my disappointment at what can only be described as discrimination. There is no point mentioning the thoughts of various sighted archers that I discussed this issue with.
It just seemed kind of ironic that the final day was staged at St Fagan's National Heritage Museum grounds.
From what I have been told (and reading the rules cover to cover), the only restriction placed is upon the ring, because it seems somewhere along the line to have gained 'non mechanical release aid' status. Much of this is also down to opinions, as the ring is not mentioned at all in the rules.
On the plus side I doubt anybody could penalize you for having a tough thumb! I should think that a thumb 'tab' would also be acceptable, but alas my thumb blisters quite well.
If you are interested in the actual wording, a pdf version is available on the GNAS website.
M
On the plus side I doubt anybody could penalize you for having a tough thumb! I should think that a thumb 'tab' would also be acceptable, but alas my thumb blisters quite well.
If you are interested in the actual wording, a pdf version is available on the GNAS website.
M