From the glens of Sherwood Forest to the garden city of Al Ain, the folkloric sport of archery is gaining steady ground. And Al Ain’s first ever archery club is just the beginning.
Created by Al Ain residents Matt Wood and Richard Moss, the new Al Ain Archers club has found a natural home in the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club (AESGC).
Although the club is currently operating out of temporary facilities, Wood and Moss hope to work with AESGC to provide a more permanent home with a fully functional outdoor range and a world-class indoor range.
They are also keen on creating a UAE archery federation, which could open up a plethora of possibilities, including the chance to become qualified instructors.
“There is so little going on in the UAE just because there’s not a federation. I’d like to help set up the federation and launch it with international competitions at Olympic standard and get international players in,” says Wood, adding he is optimistic at making Al Ain Archery the centre for the sport in the UAE.
Even though Wood and Moss are fairly new to the sport themselves, they are already breaking new ground for their approach to shooting and remain optimistic in providing a great green shooting range for archery enthusiasts. Their new and improved logo, which features Arabic script, is a testament to their targeting of local players.
The group offers recreational shooters of all ages and abilities the opportunity to develop their skills, including an introductory three-day course for newcomers. Though the men aren’t qualified instructors, they conduct the course with a focus on the basics of shooting safely.
Sessions are currently being held on Tuesday and Saturday evenings at 5pm, with Saturday open to members of AESGC only. Shooters pay AED 50 per shoot or AED 200 for the three-day course.
For more information, visit: www.al-ain-archers.com or e-mail [email protected]
