Archer’s Waihi call to arms

Kelvin O'Hara with his traditional bows and arrows. Photo / Stuart Whittaker

A Te Puke real estate agent-cum-deer farmer who teaches the ancient sport of archery to students and anyone looking to learn proficiency with a bow and arrow, is looking for a suitable environment to bring the traditional weapons to Waihi.

For many, bows and arrows invoke mental imagery of Robin Hood and his Merry Men shooting the King’s game in Sherwood Forrest or using meticulous aim to hit a target’s bullseye.

New Zealand has a long history with target archery, and people of a certain vintage will remember the Olympic exploits of disabled archer Neroli Fairhall in the 1980s.

In practical food-gathering terms, hunting with bows has experienced a resurgence in popularity thanks to American shows like Meateater and several Aotearoa-based productions that focus on a more analogue way to harvest food.

Kelvin O’Hara’s fascination with “the origins of archery equipment and what went before” led him to a side career teaching the ins and outs of archery. He will soon be relocating to the Waihi area, bringing with him his full archery set-up, along with other medieval weapons.

Kelvin utilises a 20-stand course near Te Puke where he teaches and students and others participate in so-called roving or field archery - a form of archery whereby targets are placed at varying distances in a bush-clad area with the overall aim of simulating hunting in the wild.

“It’s so much different to target archery, you don’t know the distances - and it’s always different,” Kelvin said.

Charging through a forest course stalking is a great way to get the heart pumping, sharpen hand-eye coordination and as Kelvin puts it, " exercise personal disciplines”.

Archery is “gender and age irrelevant as (bow) does not rely upon physicality”, according to Kelvin, who has studied extensively the physics of equipment and the relationship of poundage of bow versus arrow. He said the sport is affordable, and he even hosts “making bow and arrow workshops” with students that create a tangible connection to their weapons.

Age is no barrier to participation in roving archery.

“Our oldest participant was 80, and my 3-year-old grandaughter has even had a go!” Kelvin said.

Sourcing his bows from Estonia, which are “half the price” of those commonly imported from the United States, helps keep costs down for anyone new to the sport.

“I like to share skills and knowledge of safety components and help people exercise personal disciplines,” said Kelvin.

After getting involved with Te Puke High School archery crew, Kelvin is eager to source some appropriate land close to Waihi to kickstart the programme. He said he is also “happy to provide archery and course gear for nothing” to those who want to give the sport a go.

Kelvin said, “The plan is to get some land, where can we set up a course, and get people along.”

Ideally, he would like to work off a model where the community assumes responsibility for the area’s upkeep.