though this isn't technically an excalibur issue it is a crossbow related matter. The Ohio 900 tournament is one of four Ohio Fita/NAA ranking shoots. This event featured four xbow shooters (no, yours truly was shooting recurve in this event). Host Hobart Murphy, who started with a Point Blanc won the Ohio resident medal unconstested but three of the finest xbow archers participated in the Visitor class
In third place was Stan Pennypacker of Pennsylvania. For those who follow target xbow archery, Stan is probably the premier maker of custom target Xbows in the USA and three of the four xbowmen used his creations. Second place was Mike Gough of Illinois-I have a Gough Stock on my best contender. first place (by one point) was Bill Croft of Indiana-Croft is also a top flight longbow archer who has placed at numerous state and national longbow tournaments (so much for the rot that xbow archers can't shoot "real bows")
the top two guys both shot over 800/900 rounds twice-the round they shot is the new World Crossbow Association round which is 30 arrows each at 65/55/45 meters on a 60CM face. yesterday it was cloudy and breezy with temperatures in the high 40's (rough on us recurve archers ) today was sunny but still chilly with slightly less wind.
next Ohio target shoot with an xbow division is the Helwig Memorial on the Memorial Day weekend in northern Cincinnati.
Cross bowers and vert bowers can be friends and shoot at the same tournament?....and some of them even shoot both type of bows? Not according to many 'elite' archery clubs! According to these clubs, those crossbowers should have been shooting at the 100 and 200 yard rifle tournaments!
the xbow guys shoot slightly different courses and have slightly more time (we always have xbow guys shoot on the first call to the line so they can run over to the second line (in a FITA tournament you alternate for example on odd number rounds A shoots first and B line shoots second, while on even lines B shoots first but we allow the xbows enough targets so they all shoot first no matter which end) They also are allowed a sighter round after each distance move so they usually have to shoot an extra round or two while the recurve/compound archers take a lunch break etc
we welcome them. anyone who is willing to drive 6-8 hours as our out of state xbow guys did to compete for a 3 dollar medal deserves a spot on any tournament line
I note the xbow guys are true competitors and sportsmen-you will never see one of those guys trying to "pimp" a fellow shooter and I have seen one guy give his trigger to a rival and use his less competitive back up just so the first guy could continue shooting after a mechanical failure.
Another plus is that many of the xbow experts are older gentlemen who have a wealth of archery experience -Stan Pennypacker was a good friend of Earl Hoyt Jr (perhaps the greatest designer of recurve bows in history) and has numerous stories that are interesting to archers of any type of bow preference
right now there are only about three target xbow archers in Ohio (at least in terms of those who shoot at the sanctioned NAA shoots) and those are Patricia Hider (indoor only-shoots recurve outdoors), Hobart Murphy of Miamisburg (Hobart no longer shoots recurve events outdoors so he pretty much is the only in state Outdoor xbow guy) and me (I shoot recurve outdoors and can't do both-I have won the last 6-7 state indoors though because I can shoot both lines). Ron McGee- a top national shooter used to shoot in Ohio but I haven't seen him in several years.
The best place to find out about this stuff in the TNC website
you can also come down to our shop in WestChester Ohio (exit 24 off of I75-go right on the first exit (cincinnati Dayton road) and Bethany archery (513) 777-3888 is up the road on your left a mile or so
I have several top line target xbows at my home which is 4 miles from the shop in Mason and features an outdoor 90M olympic range
my indoor bow is an excalibur point blanc which has a palm rest, an adjustable cheek pierce and a sureloc sight in place of that which is sold with it. The Ausbow Contender I use for outdoor practice looks a bit like this
) today was sunny but still chilly with slightly less wind.
Not according to many 'elite' archery clubs! According to these clubs, those crossbowers should have been shooting at the 100 and 200 yard rifle tournaments! 
