Wind, rain and frosty temperatures could not dampen the spirits of a small but determined group of Air Force archers during their national carnival at RAAF Base Wagga earlier this month.
Six dedicated archers took part in the carnival that featured a mix of indoor target rounds and challenging field archery courses.
Range captain and committee member Sergeant Sean Barry said that even though the weather was terrible, the atmosphere of the carnival was great.
“We adapted by running the indoor animal round on the worst day, but we still got out and shot the field courses. Everyone had a ball,” Sergeant Barry said.
Field archery, the core discipline used at the carnival, involves competitors moving through varying terrain, judging unknown distances to different targets.
Sergeant Barry, who also serves as range captain for the Wagga Field Archers, compared the role to setting a golf course.
“You’re not just standing on a line shooting at a target,” he said.
“You move around, distances change, the types of targets change. My job is to make it challenging but safe, while staying fully compliant with all safety requirements.”
The small but inclusive event included two female competitors and an ex-Air Force honorary member who helped another archer set up their bow correctly.
“It’s a genderless sport, truly merit-based,” Sergeant Barry said.
“Everyone shoots the same targets. It doesn’t matter who you are – the best archer on the day wins.”
‘You meet like-minded people, build networks across Defence, and those connections can really help you later in your career.’
For Sergeant Barry, an armament technician posted to the School of Postgraduate Studies, the benefits of archery extended well beyond competition.
“It helps massively with the mental side of things, focus and controlling the mind,” he said.
“There’s so much of archery that is a mental game. You have to stand up, clear your head and execute the shot properly. It’s about being able to repeat that process again and again with accuracy.”
He sees strong parallels with military shooting tasks.
“It’s like any shooting sport using a rifle – target identification, what’s behind the target, breathing, focus and then releasing,” Sergeant Barry said.
“In field archery, you also have to deal with uneven ground, shooting up or down hills and changing environmental conditions. It creates real mental pressure, which is great training.”
Sergeant Barry said he wished he had discovered sport earlier in his career.
“I regret not getting into it sooner,” he said.
“It’s wonderful. You meet like-minded people, build networks across Defence, and those connections can really help you later in your career. Defence is all about networks – the more you build, the better.”
The Air Force Archery Association, supported by the Air Force Sports Council, currently has around 25 full members nationally. One of the association’s main goals is to expand the experience for current members by adding more target archery disciplines alongside the popular ABA (Australian Bowhunters Association) field style.
Air Force was the first service to establish its own archery association. The Army followed late last year, and Sergeant Barry has been sharing knowledge and the carnival post-activity reporting with their new committee.
“We’re building the sport,” he said.
“We don’t have to do it individually – we can do it together. Once it becomes an ADF sport that also opens up more avenues for competing.”
