Who's right.

[Earthdog]

In our local 3D league,the rules for recurve state "Any Recurve",,no sights.
That's it,all the rules an nothing but the rules.
So we have two shooters,both nice people.
One shoots an old Hoyt Gold medalist,an the other shoots a custom built more hunting oriented curve.
The argument that came up on Sunday,,,being pushed by the loser "as always seems to be the way,was that the guy shooting the Medalist with a stubby Stabiliser has an unfair advantage due to the stab'.
My answer was that the custom bow was designed to be shot without a stabiliser and was thus perfectly balanced like that,the Medalist was designed to be shot with a stabiliser and was balanced like that.
Therefore neither shooter has an advantage over the other,and it was simply a matter of one being a better shooter on the day.
BTW,the shooter with the custom is a very poular and well known lady an the guy with the Medalist is fairly new to the sport and is just getting better as he shoots more,, he's also a friend of mine so I could be a bit biased,but I like to think not.
Anyway this subject has never come up before today and plenty of our recurvers shoot either way,with no issue before now.
In the end I told the guy who asked,that it would always be the better shooter that wins,and the argument was just poor sportsmanship on behalf of the complainer.
I do know that due to the "easyway out" nature of our organisers,,,Stab's in recurve will probably be banned,because they always take the side of the complainer,,,,,,unless it affects "them" that is..
So what's your call,,,keeping in mind our rules of course.

Cheers.

[bawana bowman]

I agree with your thoughts. According to your rules, which are wide open for allowing the use of anything but sights. There is no room for the complaint. The loser should consider having her bow drilled and tapped for a stabilizer, or accept the fact that she needs to be happy with her ability to balance and hold steady her bow.
I would however suggest a revision to the rules. There needs to be qualifications for different classes of recurves, not just no sights.

[zetabow]

As New Zealand are members of IFAA and Recurve Bowhunter and Barebow allow a stabilizer I would bring this point up and suggest they just take the IFAA Bowhunter Recurve rule.

The reason for this is if youre rules are too far removed from IFAA international rules it makes it hard for your countrymen to compete internationally if they so chose.

BOWHUNTER RECURVE

    * Recurve bow
    * No sights
    * One straight stabiliser maximum 12" length
    * Drawchecks and leveling device not permitted
    * One nocking point
    * Index finger to touch nock
    * One consistent anchor point
    * Release aid not permitted.

[Earthdog]

Thaks for the advice guys.
I've just emailed the main man from Kiwi 3D to let him know he has an argument in the wings and sujested he head it off with the IFFA rules.
The thing with K3D right now is that it was started by a small group that were not happy with some of the rules and politics surrounding both IFFA and a couple of the other shooting organisations in NZ.
The basic idea was to have simpler rules,easier courses,and a less formal sort of shoot.
It's now only in it's third year and it's really started to steamroll along,,,but the rules are a little too open I guess.
Just growing pains.

Thanks again,
ED.

[zetabow]

If you want to keep away from IFAA rules then I suggest Fita or even IBO Recurve rules.

I really like Fita 3D rules, they only have four shooting divisions, Compound Unlimited, Longbow, Trad Recurve and Barebow, it's a breath of fresh air compared to the 11 IFAA shooting divisions.

[Earthdog]

I'll just leave it at the IFFA bowhunter recurve rules for now,they make sence to me and I've done my bit to smooth things along.
I kept out of our club committie this year because I kept getting dragged into silly arguments.
I keep this up an I'll end up back there again.
Thats why I came here first,good advice from good people.

Cheers,
ED.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Well if they chose to create the slippery slope of bending to complainers either complain every meet until they eliminate trad archery or find a new club.  

I would argue that any problems with rules should be brought up before hand before the date shoot otherwise they should be kept top themselves since they agreed to the rules before the shoot.  

Leave it to people to ruin a good thing!

[twitchstick]

I shoot in a club that the rules class all non sighted shooters in the same class, as barebow. That means wheels too. Since I am the usally the only traditionalist I usally take last(sometimes frist and last),but I still shoot. I would stay with the IFFA rules unless brought up before the shoot as cyclic-rivers stated. I was the VP for awhile now I just donate time and effort to aviode things like this too.

[Earthdog]

I got a return email from the organiser last night,they are going to adopt the IFFA rules after this years league is finished.
In the mean time the standing rules will stay.
I shoot my own bow with a stab' on when I target shoot,and the only reason for this is it's dampening qualitys with my ultra light target arrows.
This is infact a draw back when we have to shoot off our knees and need an acute cant "because it tourqes the bow.
Most of the time when I'm hunting I take it off and shoot heavy arrows.
I'll also remove my rest and shoot off the shelf when it pleases me.
Fact it,I shoot my bow just as well no matter how I set it up.
I really wish people would stop blaming others and their gear,for their own lack of skills.
Sometimes I just get so over all this rubbish.
Just venting,but this really has been one of those times.