A suggested GNAS rule change regarding Thumbrings

M Hardman · A suggested GNAS rule change regarding Thumbrings

Dear All,

Before I begin, I was not too sure where to post this, so if any moderator wishes to move it to another sub-forum please don't hesitate to do so.

I am interested in the archery traditions of oriental nations, in addition to shooting my longbow and modern recurve. I shoot a traditional single piece Turkish bow by Grózer, with a thumbring. Briefly, the thumbring amounts to a ring of metal, horn or semi-precious stone, with a lip covering the pad of the thumb. It is traditional to use it on this kind of bow to reduce finger pinch and cyanosis of the fingers. To use the ring, the archer must make a firm 'lock' that could hold the string without protection, but unless the archer has very tough thumbs, the ring must be worn to prevent blisters and bruising.
When I enquired with the GNAS (the organisation which I am affliated to) as to the position this style would have in the bowstyle classification system, to my amazement I was told that I should have to shoot as Compound Unlimited if I wished to compete rather than shoot for fun. The reason for this was that the thumbring currently counts as a ‘non-mechanical release aid’.
I found this rather inappropriate, as firstly, the bow does not act like a modern compound bow (in the sense of the compound's draw force curve), and secondly, the thumbring, whilst improving the release of an experienced archer, does not act with the efficiency of a modern compound release aid, or indeed with the efficiency an older single piece release aid now less commonly used. For those reasons I wrote to the GNAS Director of Operations suggesting a rule change, officially legalising the thumbring in a R/C sub-category more appropriate to the bow.

I am posting here, because I am attempting to find how much interest there would be in such a change, even if the interest was a moral one (stopping sightless bows shooting alongside sighted bows) rather than because you shoot with a thumbring yourself and would like to compete using it.

I would be grateful if anyone in favor of this could PM me, or post here, and better still, tell others that may be interested that I have made this suggestion.

If anyone disagrees with what I have said, then I won't mind discussing the topic with them.

Regards

I

jaselpool

Hi Mike - very interesting indeed. I too have a horsebow (Nimrod) and have tried using a thumb-ring (well still trying actually!). I'd be interested in a change of the rules as it seems wrong to me. I will eventually get around to shooting around a field course and I'd like to know I could use a ring if I wanted to!

Jason

Blackcat

I don't use a thumb ring or shoot that style but a member of our club does, and from what I've seen the compound section would put you at a large disadvantage. Based on this and the fact that a thumb ring is very traditional I've voted that it should have its caterory or maybe HT at the very least. Do you know what the other big associations class this style as?

kirk

Hi M Hardman

I voted yes.

If there are enough archers using thumb rings then a separate class would be a good idea. Shooting with the unlimited compounds is way off the mark, lets face it a tab is a release aid. I also agree with Blackcat that Hunting Tackle would be more appropriate.
I face a similar problem when i shoot my take down AFB, i use allys/carbons and have to shoot Barebow against Oly bows with stabilisers three fingers under, etc., but that's my choice. Although in the NFAS news letter this month a proposal has gone out for a new class. American Hunter.

(Hence my solidarity)

Liam

I know nothing about Thumb rings nor there use, but it seems highly unfair that you should have to compete against sighted compounds

segolden

I do use a thumb ring with my horsebow, though a tab is more comfortable for some things. I voted YES, everybody here having already covered the points that are valid. Rather stupid to have to go through all this as common sense should rule, but that's bureaucracy for you.

M Hardman

Thank you very much for your replies, they are very encouraging.

Blackcat, The only other organisation's rules that I know about is that of the NFAS. The thumbring is allowed there with primitive, but only when you use a bow of natural materials (horn, sinew, wood etc). This isn't perfect, as most archers are not experienced enough to look after a horn bow, including myself. Most people I know use fibreglass bows, so they would not be allowed in that category.

jaselpool, good luck with the ring! If you haven't found it already, www.atarn.org is a very useful website. It is full of articles on oriental archery (inc. thumbrings) and its forum contains many useful threads which just keep on multiplying.

Regards

M Hardman

I wonder if they person who answered 'no' to the poll could perhaps tell me why they think not? I'd like to hear eveyone's views, even if they are not in my favour.

Regards