[Steppes] Steppes IKCAC Shoot

[Greylond Aston]

For those of you who don't know, an IKCAC is the SCA's
InterKingdom Combat Archery Competition. Which you can
read about it here,
http://detommaso.org/ikac/ikcak/ikcac.html .

It is a good shoot for new and current Combat Archers
since it promotes basic skills needed for battle. 

Yesterday, 11/30 was the end of the season and HL
Ironwyrm and I wanted to be able to submit scores from
Steppes. Something that hasn't been done in several
years if at all. We had tried a couple of other times
to shoot one but scheduling and the Texas heat
prevented us from completing one. We had decided that
no matter what we would get one in before the end of
this season. 

So we showed up at Steppes Archery practice with our
equipment and the other archers shooting got
interested in what we were setting up. Ld Jaques de
Spink was interested enough to go home after running
the IKAC to get his armor. Ld Jon Rolfsson was there
to test his latest modification to his crossbow and we
were able to talk him into trying it out on a IKCAC.
So by loaning out armor/weapons/ammo we were able to
get 5 Archers to shoot the IKCAC! While they weren't
scores to shake up the standings, we did rather well
considering that we were shooting into a headwind that
topped out at one point at 25 mph. And not just a
straight-on headwind, this one came at us from about
15 degrees to the right of the targets knocking our
shots to the left and short. 

HL Wil Ironwyrm was victorious with his 111pt high
score. 

I would also like to mention that Martin, who is a
relative newcomer to the SCA and Archery, donned SCA
Armor for the first time and with only a couple of
practice/instruction shots he came in 3rd with a 91!
Part of his score came from a Chest Shot from 40 YARDS
to go along with 4 hits on a 9x15ft Unit Target! Not
bad for the first time shooting combat arrows and
getting used to wearing a helm at the same time! So
with the first 12 arrows that he ever fired from 40
yards he hit a Unit Target 5 times, while wearing
armor that didn't fit him very well! After Martin's
shoot was completed, there was a gleam of joy in his
eye and he immediately told us that he wanted to
become a Combat Archer and shoot Live Targets! I think
our Barony is about to gain another good Combat Archer
to help in its defense. The next workday that we have
we will be helping him with some armor. 

So, we have posted 5 IKCAC scores this season. No they
won't really change Ansteorra's standings this year,
but with some practice I think the Known World better
watch out for the Steppes IKCAC crew next year because
every once in a while we have days when the wind is
down to a managable 10mph! 

If you can't tell I had a lot of fun doing it and look
forward to Feb 1st 2004, which is a Sunday and a
Steppes Archery Practice, for our first shoot of next
season! So right now I'm announcing that I'm going to
run an IKCAC on Feb 1st 2004, and we may run one or
two before that for instruction purposes. Anyone who
is interested should watch the Steppes schedule as I'm
going to make sure our local Archery Marshall annouces
the next time we are going to have one. 

I highly recommend shooting an IKCAC on a regular
basis for the chance it provides to work on the basics
in the company of fellow archers. Some of our most
experienced Gulf Wars veterans are on hand for advice
and I learn from them everytime we shoot. 

Perhaps for a future shoot we could borrow a bit of
the Steppes Loaner gear for those new archers who
don't have any equipment?

On a final note, a couple of the main reasons for the
IKCAC is to help encourage/train new Combat Archers
and get current CA's more experience with their
equipment. I'm proud to say that with the assistance
of everyone involved we accomplished both! I'd like to
thank all the other archers who were there for
shooting and helping with the timer and scoring.
Ironwyrm and I wouldn't have been able to complete our
scores without their help and thanks to everyone for
shooting! 



Ld Greylond Aston
Steppes Newest IKCAC Fanatic

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