[Ansteorra-archery] You want fries with that?

[Rumil Fletcher]

>Unbelievable,  there hasn't been a single archery or archery related
>thistle awarded in two years, is that correct?  Just off the top of my
>head, I can name four good gentles (one in my own group, and three
>outside) that need to be submitted for that award.
>
>It looks like the same old story to me, unless we archers do it
>themselves it's just not going to get done.


Well, of course.  When was the last time you recommended someone for
an equestrian award?  Never, I expect.  And that is appropriate since
you are not involved in equestrian.  Of course award recommendations
for archery awards should come from those in the field.  And when was
the last time you recommended someone for an archery award?  In the
last few years, I have recommended exactly two people for awards
related to archery (a King's archer and a Star of Merit), and both
were awarded.  So get busy.  Recognize your fellow archers.  Write
those recommendations.

Here's a tip for writing recommendations.  Get a consensus among your
fellows.  Get several people to agree on a recommendation and all of
you write your recs at the same time, preferably about 2 to 3 weeks
before an event that you know the person is going to be at.  Give
specific reasons why that person needs that award.  Don't just say,
"She is involved in archery and goes to lots of events."  Say
instead, "She has two students that she has been working with on a
weekly basis, makes her own arrows, and has won the following two
tournaments."  Give the Crown something they can say about that
person when they make the award.

It also helps if you have that award yourself, but is not a
requirement.  If you get half a dozen of your friends to recommend
someone for a Sable Thistle for archery, and there are among that
group someone already holding a Sable Thistle, and one or two King's
Archers, that improves the chances the award will be made.  It also
helps a lot if you can get the Landed Baron or Baroness over the
group the person live in to submit that recommendation along with
yours.

Don't expect the impossible.  Recommending an archer for a Centurion
is probably a waste of time.  The centurions are, if not a polling
order, at least very close to it, and they are not going to recognize
archers in their order.  So if you want to recommend someone for a
grant in archery, make sure it is a Star of Merit (for service
through teaching, holding multiple archery offices, etc.) or an Iris
of Merit (for skill in making equipment and teaching).

Timing is important.  As I mentioned above, the Crown needs the
recommendations in hand two to three weeks before the event the
person will be at.  Be sure to tell the Crown the date and event the
person will be at so that they can get the award scroll and regalia
made and to the proper event at the proper time.  If you leave this
information out, the chances go almost to zero as the Crown does not
have time to research it for you.  They also need plenty of advance
notice so they can make a decision, and for the Sable Scroll to have
time to finish the scroll and get it to the Crown in time for the
Crown to get it to the appropriate Court.  If you make your
recommendation five months ahead of time, they might forget about it.
If you make it one week before the event, that leaves insufficient
time to get everything done.  If you make it for an event in the next
reign, consider copying the recommendation to the Crown Prince and
Princess as well, as they will be the one's making the award.  (Don't
ignore the current Crown on next reign awards.  Very bad form!)

And whatever you do, do not discuss specific awards and people on
this list or any other public forum.  Discuss the people you are
recommending privately.  Such discussions absolutely should not be in
the public eye.

So get busy, write those recs for your four good gentles.  Get others
to do the same.  Get them the recognition they deserve.  You can't
expect someone who is not in the archery community to know what
archers do unless you tell them.

Rumil Fletcher