Arrow dynamic appeal of Manitoba archery

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This article was published 11/05/2011 (5337 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than 1,400 Manitobans know what William Tell, Robin Hood and Cupid learned centuries ago — once you start notching arrows, it’s hard to stop.

Winnipeggers have certainly been on target in recent years when it comes to the sport of archery.

There is no better example of that than archer Jay Lyon, who placed 10th at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. He was also a silver medalist at last year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Lyon says the province’s success nationally and internationally is remarkable considering the sport enjoys far less popularity in Canada than it does in Europe.

“Europe has more target archers and recurve archers (a more traditional bow) than compound archers and hunters,” he says.

“I think Manitoba’s archery scene is alright given our population. There is lots of bow hunting and more of a market for that in Manitoba (compared to target shooting).”

George Dierickse has been an avid archer for more than 35 years. He picked up a bow for the first time when he was 23 and has no plans to put it down any time soon.

“Many consider it a life sport,” he says.

“What appealed to me in the beginning was that archery was an individual discipline, but at the same time there was a different but good kind of social aspect to archery. (There are) only a few competitors shooting while most others watch.”

Dierickse is an archery instructor and has been passing his passion for the sport onto the next generation of archers for the past three years.

Check out either of Winnipeg’s two indoor archery ranges — Heartland Archery on Keenleyside Street in Elmwood or Heights Archery on Portage Avenue in St. James — and you will find dozens of young archers on any given night.

Still, it remains something of an underground interest for many, especially at the Heights, where the range is located in the basement of a strip mall.

Target shooter Tyler McMeekin, 13, thinks the fact the Heights range is located underground makes it feel a little edgy.

“It really makes it feel like more of a secret club because the range is down there,” he says.

Despite it’s recent surge in popularity, Lyon says it can sometimes be difficult to attract newcomers to the sport. There is little in the way of prize money for participants and they usually have to pay out of pocket to travel to competitions.

Dierickse says Manitoba is lucky to have archers the calibre of Lyon and Selkirk’s Doris Jones, who also picked up a silver medal in New Delhi last fall.

He says they have helped raise the profile of the archery, attract more newcomers and even inspire some veterans of the sport.

“Performances by people like Jay are more inspiring to people whom already shoot, those already following the sport,” he said.

Lyon is hoping to step back into the spotlight next year and aims to land a spot on Team Canada for the 2012 Olympics. It could very well be his swansong from international competition.

“I’d like to do one more Olympics then I’d like to have a life,” he says. “Archery takes a lot of time away from your life and it is hard to balance things.”

There are currently more than 800 registered adult archers training at 30 clubs across the province, according to Amanda Pugh, executive director of the Archery and Bowhunters Association of Manitoba.

ABAM president Mano Navarro says Manitoba’s outdoor archery season has already begun, although it was delayed several weeks due to the threat of flooding.

Navarro says the association expects more success stories like those of Lyon and Jones in the years to come. More than 600 youth are currently taking part in ABAM’s archery development program.

“Manitoba’s success on the world stage is mainly due to our senior archers. Veterans with 10 or more years in archery are giving back right now and continue to help out our nine to 12 year olds,” he says.

ABAM’s annual general meeting will be held on June 11 at Canad Inns-Portage La Prairie.

Upcoming competitions include a pair of events slated for May 29 — the Interlake Archers shoot in Argyle and the Outdoor 3-D shoot at the Minnedosa Archery Club. The 21st annual outdoor 3-D Jamboree will take place June 5 at the Vermillion Archers in Dauphin.

For more information, see www.archerybymail.com, www.heartlandsports.ca or www.abam.ca.

rob.brown@canstarnews.com