Adam has been riding horses for almost 50 years, since age 4, competing in eventing, show jumping and more in Europe. He became involved in horse archery about 4 years ago as a natural progression to being a professional stuntman and wanting to simply do more on horseback than just riding. Adam owns Bay Area Horse Archers, based in Gilroy, California, and teaches clinics, small groups and private classes. He also works as a stuntman and fitness instructor around the Bay Area. Adam competes around the US and also internationally on a regular basis.
ABOUT HORSE ARCHERY:
- Horse archery in its modern form has been an international sport since the 1980s. It is the fastest growing equestrian sport in the world.
- Two main associations run the sport. Internationally, IHAA (International Horse Archery Alliance), and in America, MA3 (Mounted Archery Association of the Americas). They govern the rules, safety and competitions around the world. Rules are based on international eventing rules as seen in cross country, show jumping and dressage.
- Riders compete in eventing style competitions. Speed shooting, slow riding on the 90 meter Tower track. Slower shooting, faster riding in the 90 meter Raid track. Cross country riding and varied shooting in the Hunt event. Postal competitions and arena competitions also take place regularly. Riders compete in their own arenas against other riders all around the world in postal competitions. They can also compete in walk, trot, or canter divisions. Target distances vary from directly below (Jarmaki targets) or 7 meters above (Qabaq targets) the horse to 55 meters away.
- Riders must use Asiatic style recurve horse bows, no Olympic recurves or compound bows allowed.
- Riders of any age can compete. Horses of any breed can be used and are inspected at the beginning of a competition for lameness.
- Bay Area Horse Archers was started by Adam Sewell and Ariel Conrad, international competitors who wanted to bring it to the South Bay. Other clubs exist all around the US.
- Lessons can be private or small group and include learning to shoot on the ground first, then learning specific horse archery riding techniques. Showing on horseback differs from classical archery. Practitioners learn to nock blind and speed shoot in 3 different shooting techniques, Mediterranean, Persian and Thumb Draw.
- Anyone interested in learning can visit BayAreaHorseArchers.com or call Ariel at (408) 410-1964 for more info.
