The Latest
Contest
was held on
6th and 7th June 2009
The 2010 contest is now in the planning stages.
We will be uploading pictures and scoring details for the 2009 contest in the near future.
Please keep returning here for updates.
This year, the Colchester Town Watch, organised the archery event on behalf of the Oyster Festival. This picture shows the participating archers and supporters and the Watch.
Each year, Colchester stages 'The Archer of the Fayre' as part of its Medieval Oyster Fayre, where archers from all over the country attend to take on England's finest medieval re-enactor English longbow archers. It is held in the Lower Castle Park in the centre of the 'Oldest Recorded Town in Britain'.
Members of a recognised archery clubs or re-enactment groups, are invited to compete for the annual honour of becoming our:
The Targets Below is a list of targets that we featured at the 2009 Fayre, together with a few pictures.
The Loop Shoot
This construction represents a Castle Wall with a narrow arrow loop for the archer to shoot through. The target is a mounted knight in armour. Points scored depend on area hit. This is a difficult shoot as the archer has to stand on an archer's step, making it a problem to see the target properly.
6 sharp arrows allowed.
Zak, our youngest archer (aged 12) takes aim.
Team 3 at the target.
Team 4 at the target.
Points
5 for hitting the knight's head
3 for the knight's body, excluding the shield
1 anywhere on the horse
30 max. The King's Shoot
This is a distance shoot at a life sized deer in the standing position. The target is across water at a minimum 30 paces. Points are scored only with arrows that pierce the target and depending on the part of the deer hit.
6 sharp arrows allowed.
The archer's view of the target.
Team 4 at the target.
Points
3 for hitting the kill zone (circled)
1 for anywhere else on the body 18 max.
The Wild Boar Shoot
A life size wild boar partially obscured by long grass. The archer has to shoot from behind a tree, with one foot touching the shoot peg. Archers shoot across the River Colne at a distance of 25 to 30 paces. All hits on the body score.
6 sharp arrows allowed.
Julie takes aim.
Team 3 at the target.
Points
5 per inner kill zone 3 per outer kill zone
1 per wound
30 max.
The Spinner
Depending upon what position the target is hit, it may or may not spin, to offer a different face to aim for. The disadvantage is that, if you don't spin it enough, your arrow could deflect off the target giving a nil score. You therefore have an arc to work with, to hopefully assist you. Points are scored depending on the part of the target hit.
6 sharp arrows allowed.
Points
5 for the red, 2 for the blue or yellow, 0 for the white
(touching the line scores the higher score)
30 max. photo from the 2008 contest.
The Distance Shoot
Target boss was at a distance of 30 paces. Points scored by area hit.
6 sharp arrows allowed.
Points
5 for the gold
4 for the red
3 for the blue
2 for the black
1 for the white
(touching the line scores the higher score)
30 max.
picture from 2007 contest The Moving Shoot
The archer moves over three shooting positions, each at a different distance from the three targets, with one foot touching a peg. This is designed to simulate having to duck and dive or perhaps on a horseback situation (but without an 'orse!). Archers use 6 sharp arrows, 2 arrows per target. Only body hits score points and a raised hand will signal the completion of the task.
Maximum time 1 minute, 6 sharp arrows allowed.
Points
5 points per body hit, plus 1 point for the archer with the fastest time, with six clear hits.
31 max.
(Denis Alston was the only archer to get three hits and so he won the extra point in 2009.
The Pottage Shoot
Targets will range from a shallot hanging from a string, to a large cabbage hung from a beam. The smaller the vegetable, the higher the points. Distance 20 - 25 paces.
10 sharp arrows allowed.
Points
5 for damaging the shallot
4 for the onion
3 for the sweet potato
2 for the melon
1 for the cabbage 30 max.
The Speed Shoot
This is one for the skilled. Archers must loose as many arrows as they can and hit the target block, at a distance of some 30 paces. Most English archers of the medieval period would have been able to mange around 10 or 11 arrows. Just imagine the damage that could be done with 100 archers firing volleys at that rate!
Archers should allow for up to 20 sharp arrows maximum (timed). Only arrows in the block score.
Points
3 per arrow in centre 1 per arrow in the circle
36 max. (if 12 arrows shot)
picture from 2008 contest
The Bell Shoot
From a distance of at least 20 paces the archer shoots at a brass bell hanging from a gibbet. Archers use 6 rubber blunt arrows. Make the bell ring to get maximum points - not just shake the mount or brush the bell.
6 blunt arrows allowed.
Points
5 for making the bell sound
2 for a clear glancing hit
30 max. The Garland Shoot
From a distance of at least 20 paces the archer shoot into the centre of a garland mounted on a block. Archers use 6 sharp arrows.
Brother Mabey takes aim.
Points
5 points per circle 30 max.
The Pot Shoot
This is a group of rabbits positioned in amongst grasses and undergrowth. The archer has to shoot from behind a tree, with one foot touching the shoot peg. Hitting a rabbit and making him spin earns the points.
6 rubber blunt arrows allowed.
Points
5 per rabbit spun 3 per hit
with maximum of 30 points possible
The Siege This is the Loop in reverse. Instead of the archer shooting from within the castle, the tables are tuirned. A much harder shot in that the archer is outside the castle and has to shoot in, through the loop. Foot on a peg, crouched behind an obstacle.
Points
5 per arrow through the slit window.
30 points max.
The Agincourt Volley
That's what we call it anyway! It gives the archers a chance to experience how a volley being loosed together with other archers (around 28 in this case) might have felt in a battle situation. The sound of the arrows arriving at the target is quite something.
This has become a bit of a tradition now, at the end of the contest.
The Purse Shoot
An open shoot
Archers who have competed over the weekend and any Trader or Performer have the opportunity to shoot for 20 purses. This was in the main arena, on Sunday, after the competition had been won.
Purses contained tokens for various items donated by the medieval market traders. Each archer can loose an arrow at the purses and take it in turn.
Some of the 2009 Competitors We had 28 in total this year. The weather threatened to be bad but we had a superb Saturday with plenty of sunshine. Sunday it rained first thing but was dry for the rest of the day. We don't think that any arrows were lost. As usual, you were all a pleasure to be with. Please come back next year.
The Winners
The Worshipful, the Mayor of Colchester, Councillor Henry Spyvee, did the honours with presenting the prizes. Here, he presents the prize for Archer of the Fayre to Michael Baily with the top score of 170 points. Along with the trophy, he also received a horn handled dagger.
Denis Alston came a close second with a score of 169 points, being presented with a special flat bow by sponsor of the event Mr from the Colchester Co-operative Society.
Third prize was a set arrows donated and awarded by Fairbow to third place archer Robin Spencer with a score of 150 points.
The highest scoring lady archer was Lorna Clark with a total of 63 points scored. She received a casket with a glass goblet.
Zac Iles, aged 12, was our youngest archer and scored a very commendable 87 points, beating most of the field. He was awarded a drinking vessel for use when he is a bit older.
PRIZES, PARTICIPANTS AND SCORES
Other prizes were awarded to the most authentic archer, the best turned out overall archer, the most entertaining archer, the archer producing jammiest shot, etc. A list of the prizes is given here.
A list of participants and their detailed scores is given here.
A list of participants and their positional scores is given below.
WELL DONE EVERYBODY!
MANY THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!
LET'S DO IT ALL AGAIN NEXT YEAR - BUT WITH A FEW CHANGES!
Please also go to the following link:
.... or contact us on 07714 250949
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to know anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us.
If you would like to take part but don't have the medieval costume, try here.
Please contact us at
or Jess or Tess on 07714 250949
last updated
090609
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