Archery in the Western Cape

Welcome to the Western Province Archery Association – in Cape Town, South Africa. Established in 1950, it has five clubs affiliated to it– Protea in the Southern Suburbs, Bellville in the Northern Suburbs the Italian Club in Milnerton, the Gansbaai Archery Club and the 1441 Club with other clubs like UCT registered. All clubs welcome visitors and have a development and training programme's for beginners.

Starting the Sport

Starting the sport of archery couldn't be easier. All you need to do is find a club in your area, give the secretary a call, and arrange a time that you can be introduced to the sport. Beginner classes are normally held on a Saturday and take a few hours. The classes are designed to introduce you to the sport. All equipment will be provided and matched as closely as possible to your build. Clubs will discourage you from buying your own equipment, at least for a few months, and club equipment is of a high standard. So, to take your first steps, simply contact the club secretary and have fun!

A Sport for all

Archery has many valuable lessons which transfers into other recreational activities. Archery instills confidence, greater attention spans, and a willingness of participants to try other sports activities. Archery can be enjoyed by virtually anyone regardless of physical ability. Archery facilities are available both outdoor and indoor. It appeals to participants who might otherwise not get involved in recreational activities. It is indeed a sport for all.

The SA National Archery Association(SANAA) and the Regional Governing Bodies conduct regular tournaments and events. Many of these tournaments are registered with FITA (the International Archery Federation) which allows archers to claim FITA Performance Awards as well as World Records. Visit the SANAA web site.

Our Development Programme

Called the Feathers and Arrows program, it consists of ten different stages, each one working at the archers own level. Archers participating in the Arrows and Feathers Program or Protea Club members competing for the Protea Club Badges can compete for their individual awards by taking part in the monthly Target Day. We are also asking for parents and experienced archers to help. The first Red Feather and White Arrow awards were presented at a ceremony on 15 April 2006. To participate in our development programme, contact us.

Judges Guide

FITA have released the 2009 edition of the judge’s guide. This 118 page booklet is a must read for all serious archers and will dispel any myth that the grounds have to be level, grass cut and fields prepared to bowling lawn status. Download it now (1.8Mb). The guide includes all the guidelines that Judges are required to follow, including procedures, events and the role of the director of shooting. It is the ideal tool to prepare archers for FITA events and as a guide to the most important rules.

Protea Colours

The South African National Archery Association has announced that two Western Province Archers have been selected for the national team to represent the country at various events. Karen Hultzer has been selected to shoot for the SA Team at the World Archery Games (Shanghai,. China 4-9 August) and a t the World Championships (Ulsan Korea 1-9 September). Craig Stevens has been awarded National Junior Colours and will be part of the team shooting at the World Youth Championships (Utah USA 11-19 July). Western Province Archery Association congratulates these two archers on their achievements.

Western Province Champs on Facebook

He filmed every aspect of the Western Province Championships for two days and reduced it all to a five minute video clip showing virtually every aspect of the sport. For a real treat visit the JJ Archery Video on Facebook. And stick around, because soon it will be in Cannes!

Oldest Protea Presents Youngest Protea

At the Italian Archery Club Challenge held on Saturday 7 June 2009, the oldest “Springbok” in the province, Martin Trimmer, presented Protea Colours to the youngest recipient in the province, Craig Stevens.  Craig earned his colours by shooting the SANAA qualifying score and meeting the criteria.  He will be participating in the World Youth Championships in the USA in July.  Seen here is Craig with his parents, both who support him by joining in the sport.

Next Tournament

The next tournament will be the Western Province Winter Indoor Championships to be held at the Protea Sports Club in Retreat.  60 arrows will be shot indoors at 18m on Sunday 19 July.  This will be one of the two indoor tournaments where archers can compete under the same conditions as the SA National Indoor Championships which will be held later in the year in Cape Town.  Practice and registration starts at 8am with the first scoring arrows at 9am.