By Rob Morton
Two Extremes
The Turkish Short & the Yumi
and tradition.
One final similarity – the turning of the bow. In Turkish archery it is referred to as “Khatra” or “Hatra”, an opposing pressure on the bow, moving it from the path of the arrow to minimize deflection or paradox. An advanced technique, it takes a great deal of practice to master. Think of the bow string swinging away from the arm, allowing the arrow to avoid hitting the side of the bow. The identical technique is used in both Kyudo and Yabusame – it is known as “Yugaeri”; it is however more pronounced. The goal is to have the bow turn completely in the hand, with the bowstring resting on the back of the wrist.
Recently at the Texas International Archery Festival, we had the pleasure of hosting a number of true Yabusame archers. They were shooting Yumi, on traditional Turkish courses and did amazingly well! It beautifully illustrates the diversity of all the types of archers, bows and styles all competing in similar events. So in the world of mounted archery, there is no perfect answer – in essence it comes down to what you enjoy. There are a myriad of styles, types of bows, techniques and mountains of gear choices that make our sport incredibly diverse.
Learn more about MA3: www.mountedarchery.org
© Georges Schemagin