Bracken Company of Archers is open to all and the membership is divided up into Seniors (18 and over) and Juniors (under 18) with family membership being available too.
Welcome, to the Bracken Company of Archers... an Archery Club for all ages and abilities. We shoot all bow types from Robin Hood (Longbow) to Rambo (Compound bow) via Barebow (Not that kind of Barebow!) and Olympic Recurve (as seen on the television). We do not shoot crossbows(that is cheating). The minimum age is 8 years (its to do with bone and muscle development) – there is no maximum. We embrace all abilities from Master Bowman to “did anybody see where that went?”
The Origins of the club go back to 1968 and its present name to 1976. In that time we have moved about a bit and many people have come and gone. We currently shoot at Cranborne Middle School, both in the day time on the sports field (weekends, bank holidays and some summer evenings) and indoors in the sports hall (Wednesday evenings through the winter months). Our field is properly set up and registered with Archery GB and, providing they are following club rules as approved by Archery GB, participants enjoy Archery GB Insurance
Beginners
Proper Archery is not a contact sport and mostly there is little scope for injuring yourself. The exception is right at the start. Many gain their first taste of archery at a holiday centre or a county show, which is wonderful. But beware, that is not proper archery and the equipment used would struggle to shoot the skin off a rice pudding. If you enrol for a Bracken Company of Archers Beginners Course you will be taking a step towards ‘serious’ archery and the use of ‘serious’ equipment. You can read more about our Beginners courses on the beginners page!
Progression
A wise man once said “My bow could hit the centre of that target every time I shoot, and it is my job to make sure that it doesn’t!”
Archery is not a strength sport – it is a precision sport. Archery shares a lot of similarities with darts and golf. It is the art of precise repetition of a shot process. Precision and progress only come through practice and practice is enhanced by achievement. At Bracken we run a ‘ribbon’ scheme. Coloured ribbons which can be dangled proudly from your quiver are awarded for achieving set scores, for particular bow types, within your category, over regular distances starting with 15yrds and progressing through 8 steps to 100yrds. Gold stars can be added to the ribbons for extra achievement within the particular distance
Competitions
Closed club competitions are held monthly using Archery GB recognised shoots. These come in two types – Imperial distances which are always measured in yards and often entail a change of distance during the shoot; and Metric distances such as a WA70, which is the Olympic distance of 70m with no change during the shoot.
Each year we hold 3 ‘open’ shoots. These are also open to archers from other Archery Clubs. These are big days in our calendar and involve much setting up, a more formal approach to the shoot, teas, coffees, sausage rolls, cakes, medals and trophies. We are usually well supported by other local clubs and, in turn, we at Bracken will usually have a few members which enter their open shoots, eat their cakes and come home with their medals.
All scores achieved in club competitions and open competitions can be logged onto your personal section of the records part of our website, where you can track your own performance, personal bests and Archery GB classifications. Archery GB personal achievement badges can be won through the submission of qualifying scores on your personal record at Archer 3rd class, 2nd class and 1st class and Bowman 3rd class, 2nd class and 1st class. The club purchases the badges and we hand them out annually.
Bracken Company of Archers
Copyright Bracken Company of Archers 2019
'Big Time Archery'
All scores achieved in club competitions and open competitions can be logged onto your personal section of the records part of our website, where you can track your own performance, personal bests and Archery GB classifications. Archery GB personal achievement badges can be won through the submission of qualifying scores on your personal record at Archer 3rd class, 2nd class and 1st class and Bowman 3rd class, 2nd class and 1st class. The club purchases the badges and we hand them out annually.
There are 3 higher levels; Master Bowman, Grand Master Bowman and Elite Master Bowman. These levels can only be gained by shooting qualifying scores at what is known as a ‘Record Status’ shoot. This is big time Archery where you get to rub shoulders with County Archers, Sponsored Archers and England Team Archers. Your scores are recorded on a national data base and you are awarded a National Ranking. We have a few archers at Bracken who have National Rankings.
Of course most of us are not competing for medals, we are not really competing against each other, the archer competes against themselves and the Holy Grail is not a Gold Medal – it is a personal best.
Equipment
If you are one of those people for whom it is virtually impossible to buy Birthday presents, archery could be the answer to your friends and families prayers! You will not believe how much stuff you can get to play with.
