Sisters men excel in mounted archery

Asian mounted archery is a tradition steeped in the image of warriors thundering across the steppes. Leaving carnage in their wake, the warriors rode their tough and nimble ponies to the next conquest, arrows flying and swords flashing.

These days, the tradition of mounted archery is kept alive through competition. Holm Neumann, 67, and Jett Cowan, 17, both of Sisters, traveled to South Korea in October to take part in an international event.

Neumann has been a student of mounted archery for several years, after answering an ad in an archery magazine. His training is overseen by a Czech, Lukas Novotny, a bow-maker and mounted archer who now lives in Ohio. Novotny alerted Neumann and Cowan to the competition and encouraged their participation.

The pair traveled to Sokcho, South Korea, where they joined Novotny and Dana Hotko of Indiana. The Americans represented their country at the first International Equestrian Martial Arts Competition.

Held at the Sokcho Experience Place, a training center focusing on the ancient cavalry martial arts, the event was a combination of ceremony, exhibition and archery competition.

The Americans were considered guests of the training center and were treated with utmost respect.

“They were the most gracious hosts I’ve ever met and I’ve traveled all over the world,” said Neumann.

The director of the center, Kim Young-Sup, is one of Korea’s top martial arts practitioners. According to Neumann, Young-sup holds black belts in 18 disciplines. He is the leader of a revival of traditional cavalry martial arts in Korea.

Both Neumann and Cowan came away from the competition with medals. Neumann competed in the senior division, Cowan in the junior.

Neumann picked up a gold medal in the two-target event with a bulls-eye and finished fourth over all. He was delighted with that finish, particularly as many of his competitors were instructors at the center. Cowan, who will compete as a junior for three more years, collected a gold and two silver medals.

The archery competition consisted of three separate target events. The single target allowed just one shot; the two-target and five-target runs allowed a shot at each target. Two runs were taken, with the highest score counting. A competitor was not required to compete in each event.

The horses were superbly trained Mongolian ponies, said Neumann. During a competition run, the horses are ridden with the reins resting on the neck, at a full gallop. They are trained to be responsive to leg pressure and to ignore weight shifts as an archer twists in the saddle to take aim at a target behind.

The horses use conventional English tack, but the archers wear traditional Asian cavalry attire of bright headbands, flowing robes and loose trousers tucked into black boots. A focused stare and grimace as the arrow is loosed completes a picture of a fierce warrior, yet the sport is termed a martial art. Those who compete also learn to value character and discipline.

Neumann is looking forward to returning to Sokcho to learn more, but for now is content with the memory of taking aim at a target behind him and scoring the bulls-eye.