Ireland shoots with the best

ON TARGET: Vision impaired Masterton archer Kerry Ireland has excelled in the sport despite having only partial sight.PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

A vision impaired Masterton archer who competes against able-bodied opponents has seized yet another accolade in his sport.

Kerry Ireland finished ninth in a field of 16 archers shooting at 18m in the Senior Men's Compound division at the 44th Archery New Zealand National Indoor Championships in Porirua last month, and took a FITA (Federation of International Target Archery) badge for scoring more than 500 in the single contest.

Mr Ireland, who in the past took medals as a powerlifter and at a national level as a junior athlete with vision impairment, had already won a clutch of honours since taking up the sport in early 2013, including a Master Bowman badge last year and two perfect badges earlier this year for landing six arrows during competition in the yellow middle portion of the target.

Mr Ireland, who is legally unable to drive due to his poor vision, said he owes a debt of gratitude to his father John Ireland and to Rob McMillan, who had helped set up his competition bow, and to Neil and Pru McLaren, among a corps of people at the Wairarapa Archery Society, of which he is a member.

The compound bow he uses is a specialist piece of equipment that comes with counterweights, arrows and other gear valued at about $6000 altogether

"My success with archery really is down to a few people like dad and Rob McMillan and a lot of hard work, just like with the powerlifting," he said.

"I think what it is actually is determination. I mean people might look at me and think 'here's an idiot'. But when I say I'm gonna have a go, I do. It's about determination."

Mr Ireland said he "practises every day if I can", including outdoors at home, thanks to his Mauriceville neighbours the Camerons, who allow him to also use some of their property for training; and at the Masterton Miniature Rifle Club range in Cole St, where juniors train on Friday nights and seniors on Monday evenings.

He is competing at an event in Trentham this weekend and has also entered the 73rd Archery New Zealand Nationals and New Zealand Open, in January next year, that will also be held at Trentham.