[Archers] Request input on bow inspection at events.

[Sharon Henderson]

Greetings all,

This is a good discussion topic IMHO, Lady Lorelei!  Thanks for bringing it up!  I'm always glad to have anyone check my bow who has been through marshal training, because that intimates two things:

1) they're a good enough archer to become a marshal at it
2) they've passed the training.

They might well catch something I would miss--and I would neither want to compete publicly with a sub-par bow (or over-used arrows, for that matter!), nor shoot at ALL under the same circumstances.  *g*  Too many things can go wrong with our kinds of physics at play so close to one's face...

However, I personally would not consider myself ready to compete unless the Archery Marshal in Charge had passed my bow, or one of their subordinates had done likewise on their behalf.  So I guess my answer to your thoughts would be that I'm always glad to hear the opinion of an informed fellow Archer--but would still attend weapons inspection and abide by the ruling from there.

Blessings,
Meli
Sometime Archer

-----Original Message-----

>Greetings to you all! I have been thinking about an issue for some time now 
>and thought I'd pose it to the list for discussion and possible  
>enlightenment.
> 
>I noticed at a few events that when it was time to inspect the bows, some  
>people said, "oh I'm a marshal I can inspect that for you." and the person  
>handed them the bow.  The marshal was not necessarily affiliated with the  event.  
>Not that I don't believe they are a marshal and it is nice that  they offered 
>to help, BUT, for the sake of "quality control" shouldn't they be  letting 
>the event marshals handle that?
> 
>I'm trying to think ahead to the events I'm doing in the future.  I'd  much 
>rather have a designated bow inspector than someone coming up to me saying,  
>"oh so and so already inspected my bow".  I like the fact that we are a  casual 
>and tight knit group of archers and I love the fact that there are so  many 
>willing hands, but I also like things to be a little more organized when it  
>comes to safety issues.  I know at the larger events archers need stickers  so it 
>isn't as much of an issue.
> 
>When it comes right down to it, I'm concerned about covering my ass.   If 
>some marshal I am not familiar with does a shoddy inspections and the  equipment 
>fails and someone gets hurt and I'm the marshal in charge...it is my  
>responsibility.
> 
>I didn't see anything in our written works about this issue but I may have  
>overlooked something.  If anyone knows, please forward the information.  
>Otherwise, I'm happy to hear other's input on this. Thank you!
> 
>Respectfully,
>Lady Lorelei Greenleaf

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Rev. Sharon A. H. Henderson, OSM/revsharonhenderson at earthlink.net

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, 
              "for it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that."
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