I think that many of the great archers were products of their time (and started shooting what was available and stuck with it). Other great archers were products of their great mentors, and shot the same gear. Some had a choice of bows, and chose one over the other much like many of us prefer one over the other based on personal views on aesthetics and feel and what we happen to believe we shoot best. There are (and were) some phenomenal recurve shooters, too - Paul Schafer springs to mind. Interestingly, I was talking on the telephone to an experienced old gentleman who was a phenomenal bowhunter with the Hill-style bows he made (and still makes) - he holds views that are a product of his time, and was surprised to find that I hunt with a recurve, as surely I would find a recurve too temperamental and unforgiving for bowhunting (which I don't find).