Fred Hammer2
The annual tournament provides club members and guests with two exciting days of field shooting, the club’s annual general meeting and a social gathering, then a third morning for presentations of game and tournament trophies.
In 2012, the annual tournament proved to be a success as popularity and interest for bow hunting continues to grow in New Zealand. Daniel Peat, Executive Committee member of the NZBS comments. “Over the past couple of years, NZBS has experienced substantial growth in not only its membership base but also with the level of involvement from its members.” Daniel continues, “In 2012, the annual tournament has attracted over twice as many visitors from last year’s event and we are predicting next year’s event to grow by the same amount”.
The tournament weekend comprised of a number of challenges including a field challenge for hunters to test their skills on positioned targets in simulated hunting conditions. This challenge has proven to be a true test of the hunters bow hunting skill and ability for both novice and veteran bow hunters.
In addition, awards and prizes are presented to club members based on successful bow hunting game harvests achieved throughout the year. In 2012, a number of hunting industry suppliers sponsored NZBS’s annual tournament including Australia’s leading performance hunting apparel provider, Lamellar and Lamellar’s local distribution representative, Sportways Distributors Limited.
Daniel Peat comments, “I would like to praise Lamellar for their support for the NZBS which represents the grass roots of hunting in the South Pacific”. Tom Chan, Marketing Director of Lamellar also commented, “We are extremely proud to support the New Zealand Bowhunters Society as the organisation has demonstrated their commitment towards a specialised area of hunting that requires the knowledge services that are provided through the club to their members and the industry. I would also like to congratulate and thank the executive members of NZBS for the time and effort in hosting this year’s successful tournament which is proving to be a key event to test the bow hunter’s abilities”.
Selected winners of the NZBS annual tournament received a set of Lamellar ContraCAM Fade camouflage EcoACTive Breeze LS shirt and a ContraCAM camouflage Blitz Jacket.
With the support of industry supporters such as Lamellar and Sportways NZ and the attendance level achieved at the Thames Valley, Paeroa site in 2012, the Queen’s Birthday NZBS annual tournament has delivered an excellent event for competition, skills development and community networking across the specialised New Zealand bow hunting industry.
Daniel Peat concludes, “The 2012 annual tournament at Thames Valley in Paeroa was a great success and the enthusiasm amongst the bow hunters over the weekend was an indication of where the sport is headed in New Zealand. The 2013 tournament is scheduled to take place in Blenheim which is another great venue and this alternation makes it easier for our South Island members to attend and take part”.
Photo:
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