Equestrian Archer Diary
North America 2022, Chapter II.
A fabulous road leads from Mount Currie to Vancouver. The 170 km journey is like being on a completely different planet. We roll on a huge slope to the city gate, a row of snow-capped mountains on the left, and the Pacific Ocean on the right. In the busy big city it is relatively easy to navigate, the traffic is well organized people are patient and courteous which I also needed considering that I had to navigate from the northern tip of the metropolis to the south. In Langley, I met Steph Laversin, who was also heading to Arlington, a day late compared to me. We talked a bit and at her suggestion I crossed the Canada-US border at Lynden at 4:45 p.m. The only thing about crossing -in flower language- is that Americans don’t hold back with security measures on land, especially when it’s a stranger. After all, I caught a nice officer and I was prepared anyway, everything was fine to use his words: “it looks like you are ready for rock’n roll!”
I knocked three on the dashboard and dialed Katie. I said I'd be there in 1.5 hours. She welcomed me to the States and all she asked was if I was hungry. Already from this distance, the equestrian archery farm on the outskirts of Arlington, home to the Broken Arrow Mounted Archers Club, seemed like a fair little place.
On the winding mountain roads of evergreen Washington, I reached Katie’s farm, a rare little brilliant jewelry box at the end of a narrow pebble street (Mount Currie-Arlington 370 km).
The team waited with extraordinary preparation and welcome. I got to know some fantastic people during the tight week who are very easy to work with because of their openness. According to my plan, we have worked on the technique of accurate timing of shots, how to plan the runs, what structural units a 99-meter gallop on the track consists of, and how to build them on top of each other. A good concept or technique is like water in the cycle of nature. It destroys everything that is inanimate and nurtures everything that is alive.
It is interesting to observe in such a training camp which of the archers shooting with different techniques improves and who may deteriorate. After testing this very specific procedure on myself, I feel the torment of those who find their weaknesses, as well as the success of those who are instantly developed by the training technique.
We are talking about a permissive team, so we were able to quickly move the level shifts within the ranges of working together.
Katie gave her best for me, for the team, for the whole event. It is worth to know about her that he first met Kassai Lajos in Turkey in 2012, and then in 2017 the Master personally inaugurated the official race course here in Arlington, as well as Katie as an International Judge of the WFEA. The mother of three is an excellent equestrian archer and leader. She is a wonderful female creature in all her character, way of life and values.
We first met in the Kassai-valley if I remember correctly in the fall of 2012. Following our conversation at the last World Cup in the Kassai-valley, we agreed on this late spring date. I was happy to get to her in a way that is typical of me; I tend to organize every major trip as a tactical obstacle course, taking on smaller, greater risks testing my limits. But somehow God is always with me at the shaky parts, and sometimes Anna rings the alarm bell reminding me that I’m not James Bond, let alone immortal.
It happened that on Wednesday we were forced to hold one of the scheduled 2 official competitions, contrary to the planned Friday-Saturday, given the weather forecast. With all 15 participants we closed a camp with a very good atmosphere and content and a competition on Sunday morning, I became richer with friends and unforgettable experiences.
After all, they found out that I was born on the 30th, the team had made a small but very touching gesture on the 29th, on the day of my departure. The usual faces were missing from the celebration but it was good to be able to celebrate with my family this year as well.
Konkoly Merse
Fundy Bay, Nova Scotia 6/8/2022
The racetrack and its surroundings
