Sisters archers strike gold in South Korea

The second International Horseback Archery Competition may not garner time on ESPN, but it made national news in South Korea, where it was held on October 21-23.

Sisters residents Holm Neumann, 68, Jet Cowan, 18, and Katie Stearns, 20, of Bend, traveled to the city of Sokcho to compete. The competition took place at the headquarters of the Korean Traditional Equestrian Martial Arts Association. Neumann and Cowan participated last year; this was Stearn's first appearance, and she was one of two women among the 30 competitors.

Horseback archery is an ancient martial art that is being revived in Asia and around the world. Those trained in the art posses not only riding and archery skills but also value, character and discipline. It is a small but growing sport that satisfies participants on many levels.

"There is a sense of cooperation (within the sport)," said Neumann. "You feel like you're competing against yourself, not the others."

The tournament consisted of three categories. The one-shot run had one target, and the winner had the best score and fastest time. The two-shot run had two targets, and the winner had the best score; in the event of a tie, the fastest time won. The serial run had five targets, and the winner had the best overall score; the tie-breaker was determined by the fastest time.

Competitors were supplied with superbly trained Mongolian ponies owned by the Equestrian Martial Arts Association. They enter the competition arena at a gallop, reins loose on the neck, allowing the archer to reach for arrows and twist in the saddle as they take aim. The ponies are trained to ignore the rider's weight shifts and travel at a steady pace.

Neumann won gold in the open-division serial event, competing against archers half his age. He was also presented with awards from the city of Sokcho and the World Horseback Archery Federation, recognizing his contribution to the sport.

Stearns competed in the junior (under 21) division and brought home a bronze in the serial event.

Cowan, competing as a junior, won gold in both one-shot and two-shot, and silver in the serial event. He also won Best Overall Archer, judged on scores, consistency and sportsmanship.

Participants had an opportunity to practice an art called Mogu and next year will be able to compete in this event. A rider gallops into the arena pulling a large, felt-covered ball on a rope. Archers (with blunt-ended arrows dipped in ink to mark a hit) chase after, taking aim at the wildly moving target. Both Stearns and Cowan were successful with hits during each run.

The trio practices at Neumann's ranch just outside of Sisters. Neumann and Cowan ride gaited horses, while Stearns' mount is a rescued Arabian mare.

They also practice their archery skills off the horses, using a technique Neumann calls 'focus shooting.' The bullseye area of a target is divided into quadrants, and mini-targets are placed at various spots within the quadrants. When an archer consistently hits the mini-targets, he or she effectively scoring a bullseye.

"We're basically self-coached now, using some different techniques," said Neumann.

Sisters Athletic Club provided sponsorship with a club membership, allowing fitness and strength training.

Already Nuemann, Cowan and Stearns are making plans for next year's tournament, and there is talk that the sport might be demonstrated in Hong Kong during the 2008 Olympics. All adding fuel to the re-birth of ancient traditions.