# Who are the best archers in the world?



## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

I'd say the Italian Freestyle recurve shooters are at the top of the heap. They compete in Target, indoor and field.
The American and Korean programs focus entirely on Target, and apparently its working quite well in that context.

They are the best at what they do, and what they do requires the most commitment to be successful. In that way I would consider them the best.

-Grant


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## rdneckhillbilly (Jan 25, 2010)

Well I did not see anything saying the archer had to be alive so....my vote is for Ishi!


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## Matt_Potter (Apr 13, 2010)

I would say the best all around archers are field archers specifically the Italian and Swedish Fita field teams.

Matt


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

*Who are the best archers in the world?*

Archers who show great sportsmanship under the toughest conditions and are great company and competitors :thumbs_up


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

steve morley said:


> Archers who show great sportsmanship under the toughest conditions and are great company and competitors :thumbs_up


I like that! :thumbs_up

Ray :shade:


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## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

as far as dedication to archery, dedication to being the best that they can possibly be, most time spent shooting, etc.... - it is the Olympic archers - by far - they are the best of the best.


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## itbeso (Jul 6, 2005)

I would say that best archer in the world would be someone who could shoot freestyle, freestylelimited, bowhunter freestyle , bowhunter freestyle limited, barebow, bowhunter, trad, longbow, in field disciplines, 3-d disciplines, and target disciplines.. To say that a fita field shooter is better than a jesse broadwater or david hughes or alan Eagleton or Brady Elison is ludicrous. Ray is right, lets have a 10 discipline tournament and see who the best is. I already know!


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## Harperman (Sep 3, 2006)

Just leave out the Aerial targets, this is just a form of Trick shooting....Moving targets are pretty close to the same thing....Jim


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## Dewey3 (May 6, 2012)

It is a mistake to think an Olympic archer, such as Brady Ellison, does only one type of archery or couldn't excel in another type of archery.

Ellison, for one, routinely hunts and fishs with a bow (probably not his target one). His favorite thing to hunt is elk.

So they might surprise you at how well they could do 3D or other venues !

IMHO, the best men archers were on that podium today wearing metals.

And Brady is still ranked number one in the world.


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## vabowdog (Dec 13, 2007)

I think there are a lot of excellent archers that continually prove theybare the best of the best......take Levi Morgan he dominates the ASA and the IBO and then goes to Vegas and beats the best of the best in the dots game....something that's being overlooked is that all of the Olympic archers and the pros do make a living shooting their bow so they do have plenty of time to practice and get better unlike most of us that work 10-12 hours per day 5-6 days per week and then come home to try to squeeze in 1 hour or so of practice.

Dewayne Martin


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## GEREP (May 6, 2003)

1. Brady Ellison

2. Im Dong-hyun 

3. JINKSTER


:wink:

KPC


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

Harperman said:


> Just leave out the Aerial targets, this is just a form of Trick shooting....Moving targets are pretty close to the same thing....Jim


I gotta disagree. 

If that were true...there wouldn't be any Olympic Shotgun events in the Olympics. It's about hand and eye coordination. There really is no trick to it.

Ray :shade:


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

Be careful that some of you aren't to sensitive over this discussion.

No one here I'm aware of...at least I know I'm not...is claiming that an Olympic archer or any archer for that matter can not excel in some other type of archery event. It should ALSO be recognized...that just because an archer is great in one event does NOT mean they would be great in all others.

It's not much different than the running events. Just because a sprinter wins an event does NOT mean they could be good at everything else. There are different disciplines in archery just as there are different disciplines in Track and Field. In many cases...an athlete has to train specifically in their event if they want to win in their event.

What I'm suggesting is a Decathalon of Archery :wink: to help better determine who 'the best archers' in the world are. Now that would be AWESOME!

Ray :shade:


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## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

Ill put my money on the koreans


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## Yewselfbow (Jan 28, 2006)

Horace Ford


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)

I like your idea Black wolf I will be their


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## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

I'll go for an altogether different definition of "best" here.

The best archers in the world are the ones who will stand with you as twilight starts coming over the land, launching arrows and laughing about the events of the day with you. It has nothing to do with hitting the target, or form, or what kind of bow they use. It's about the camaraderie of the sport. The best archers are those who will help you along when you're having trouble, tease you when you blow a shot, and pass their brand new bow to you so you can try it out. The most talented, pin-point accurate guy in all the land is great to watch on a video, sure, but it's the people who are your friends, who are there with you, thick and thin, that matter most. Just my 2 pennies on it...


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## TopCat77 (Dec 24, 2008)

thorwulfx if you ever find yourself in south texas, or if i am in utah we need to fling a few together.I like your take on the best!


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

BLACK WOLF said:


> In celebration of the Olympics I think this is a good question to ask :wink:
> 
> I know some on here have strong opinions...and I'm definitely one of them...but I'm curious to hear what other people here feel and think.
> 
> ...


Well Ray?...it's well put that "you only partially agree" and i understand...as i too wonder how an oly shooter might fare once the distance markers and sights and gizmos are removed but then i must also keep in mind that these same folks are seemingly "seriously driven" at whatever it is they do...however...it's been my life experience that there are those who are based in science and those who are based in art forms..example?: 

i once witnessed a serious arguement take place between "The Head Of Manufacturing" and a Mold/Model maker at an aerospace firm...and the big cheese wanted the little guy (who had already driven his super and shop foreman nuts on the issue) to simply relay work instructions to the 2nd shift guy to follow him on the project and keep it going...the little guy refused...all knowing he just put his job on the line with his refusal..as the Big Cheese screamed "WHY NOT!"...the little guy simply said...

"Artistic Ability Can NOT be Conveyed!"

so ya got those out there who's brains are wired to do really well (provided they follow step-by-step instruction) yet they can not "create"...as they seem to lack "vision"..(aka creativity and imagination)...so based on that?...it stands to reason that all oly shooters might not do so hot once the sights and distance markers are removed....as how can they become the arrow or truely burn a hole in it if their brains just aren't wired for such?..but yet they accel at executing rudimentry step-by-step proceedures with excrusiating consistancy..thus?...they are olypians?

So?..I'm going with Fred Bear! :laugh: Cause i KNOW he was a man of "Vision"! 

That said?..i also question this aspect Ray...as i can see where an archer with a high end ILF with fully adjustable elevated rests and plungers could oh so easily adjust the bow to adapt to the archer..but..hand that same archer a longbow shot off the shelf with a riser cut far before center and?...can that same archer adjust themself to adapt to the bow? 

L8R, Bill. :cool2:


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## Lgard723 (Jan 5, 2012)

trapperDave said:


> Ill put my money on the koreans


Koreans scored the highest 227, 224, 219

USA scored second highest 224, 220, 218

Italy took the gold with the lowest overall score of the three ?

Noting the Korean Champion (their most experienced) archer never competed in the games.


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## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

TopCat77 said:


> thorwulfx if you ever find yourself in south texas, or if i am in utah we need to fling a few together.I like your take on the best!


TopCat, 

Sure! I'd love to. Please let me know if you're near SLC, and we'll launch a couple! I don't know when I'll be down in Texas next, as it's been a few years. 

Cheers,

Patrick


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## philhoney (Feb 25, 2010)

Hi,
I have to mention my 2 grandaughters in this conversation.
My eldest grandaughter (13) shoots recurve, compound and Hungarian horsebow. She struggles with the recurve and compound but out to 50yds with the horsebow it's draw, release, gold.
My youngest grandaughter (11) only shoots compound but she shoots alongside the adult archers and is normaly about half way up the score sheet but now and again has a good day and ends up at the top.
Who's the best archer? 
I DON'T CARE AS LONG AS THEY ARE BOTH HAVING FUN.
Phil


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## Invisible Man (Jan 22, 2012)

Absolutely without doubt the Shadow Mountain Bowmen are the best shooters Ive ever seen.


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## MrSinister (Jan 23, 2003)

Reo cause he just is.


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## zzzzzz (May 29, 2012)

Autographed Brady Ellison 2012 Olympic Cards available on ebay ... http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRADY-ELLIS...163?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a20bc1f73



GEREP said:


> 1. Brady Ellison
> 
> 2. Im Dong-hyun
> 
> ...


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## rsarns (Sep 23, 2008)

Best in the world... easy those who string walk or gap....


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

I like Ray's idea of a contest, we need to get working on making that a legit competition!


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

Go look at some of those FITA field courses and then answer the question. Some of the shots are brutal. Many of the top FITA archers also excel in FITA field which involves both marked and unmarked distances and often shots where you are offered a rope to tie in.


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

http://www.worldarchery.org/content.asp?id=5576&me_id=3990&cnt_id=5577

World Games has both Field and target, some info about who are the best past and present at both combined disciplines at the bottom of page, there has been talk about adding 3D to this event


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## grantmac (May 31, 2007)

Should make this theoretical archery contest a "one design". Say Samick Sage, alloy arrows and off the shelf? Should make things nice and even 

-Grant


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## deadeyedickwc (Jan 10, 2010)

id say the oly archers simply because of the pressure they are experiencing ,no other archery tournament can match that


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## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

deadeyedickwc said:


> id say the oly archers simply because of the pressure they are experiencing ,no other archery tournament can match that


:icon_1_lol:

what about standing in front of a 900lb grizzly out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but stick n string?...or shelling out tens of thousands for a once in a lifetime opportunity to face off with a ton worth of cape buffalo?...or?..pulling your dad away from the dinner table to show him that you can in fact put all 3 of your arrows in a paper plate from the stunning distance of a full 10 feet?...

I'm of the opinion that oly archers are there because of the pressure they don't experience.


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## Wayko (Dec 22, 2011)

I don't know, maybe I'am different, I don't feel I'am a archer, I am a hunter who loves to shoot arrows out of bows, so I do call myself a bowhunter, now, I have no interest in trying out a oly type bow or that style of shooting, after all these years, I'am still trying to master this hunting thing, I'am still finding things to learn.........But I really enjoy watching oly style archers on TV, don't know why, I just do.....But I think if I had a chance to shoot a P&Y buck every year, or just one oly gold....I would pick the gold, all that work for games that only happen every four years, does something for me, they have my respect, just my 2 cents.


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## BarneySlayer (Feb 28, 2009)

Alan eagleton whopped my butt in the recurve long division a couple of years ago at a 'bug' shoot. Knew he was a great shot, didn't know he was famous enough to be known on archery talk! Woo hoo!


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

kegan said:


> I like Ray's idea of a contest, we need to get working on making that a legit competition!


I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes the idea of an Archery Decathalon :thumbs_up

Ray :shade:


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## Mr. Roboto (Jul 13, 2012)

deadeyedickwc said:


> id say the oly archers simply because of the pressure they are experiencing ,no other archery tournament can match that


Really? Olympic archers are the only ones that feel pressure. Yeah it takes a lot of work to get at the level these guys and gals are at, and winning a gold at the olympics is a huge goal to achieve, but the rest of us that don't have rich sponsors go through the same pressure when they are competing for an event that they have worked long and hard for.

The olympic archers only have to shoot the same round for team and individual events. The Olympics should introduce different styles/events of shooting that stresses the different aspects of shooting to determine who is really the best.

Just take all the different events the gymnasts do. Many of the swimmers and track and field people compete in multiple events. Equestrian multiple events. The Pentathlon and Decathlon require skills for their many events. In my opinion, the people that do well in these events are far better overall athletes than the one person that specializes in one thing and gets a world record. 

In my opinion the best archers are the ones that excel in many different archery disciplines, not the ones the specialize in the 70m round.


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## itbeso (Jul 6, 2005)

BarneySlayer said:


> Alan eagleton whopped my butt in the recurve long division a couple of years ago at a 'bug' shoot. Knew he was a great shot, didn't know he was famous enough to be known on archery talk! Woo hoo!


Alan is as good as it gets shooting a recurve without sights.


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## Wayko (Dec 22, 2011)

BLACK WOLF said:


> I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes the idea of an Archery Decathalon :thumbs_up
> 
> Ray :shade:




How about a timed event.....Ya run along a trail, about a mile or so long, stoping to shoot targets at different yardages, with the 1st & last target moving, then subtract the time from the target score, think that will get you the best of the best.


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

Wayko said:


> How about a timed event.....Ya run along a trail, about a mile or so long, stoping to shoot targets at different yardages, with the 1st & last target moving, then subtract the time from the target score, think that will get you the best of the best.


WA (Fita)already do 'Run Archery' as an official event,similar to 'Ski-Archery' an whole other (interesting) world apart from IBO out there:thumbs_up


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## Wayko (Dec 22, 2011)

steve morley said:


> WA (Fita)already do 'Run Archery' as an official event,similar to 'Ski-Archery' an whole other (interesting) world apart from IBO out there:thumbs_up




That sounds like it would be fun to watch, I think if I was to try something like that, there would need to be someone with a AED following me, LOL... I always have respect for those that can do things that I can not or no longer can do. Best I can do now is as it gets closer to deer season is run around alittle to get my heart rate up alittle before shooting (even after all these years, those deer still rise my heart rate) LOL


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

Wayko said:


> How about a timed event.....Ya run along a trail, about a mile or so long, stoping to shoot targets at different yardages, with the 1st & last target moving, then subtract the time from the target score, think that will get you the best of the best.


That would be cool. Our Colorado Bowhunters Association has a shoot like that during their big annual Jamboree. I have yet to participate in it...but I would like to.

Ray :shade:


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

All great ideas, although I think it would be best to leave the gear choices up to the individual. Maybe have categories, but then I'm not certain how much easier one style would be over another depending on conditions. Sights would be superior on standing still targets... but what if you have to crouch, cant, and what about the moving targets (which had better be part of it )?

It would be a BLAST!


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

kegan said:


> All great ideas, although I think it would be best to leave the gear choices up to the individual. Maybe have categories, but then I'm not certain how much easier one style would be over another depending on conditions. Sights would be superior on standing still targets... but what if you have to crouch, cant, and what about the moving targets (which had better be part of it )?


Dude...we're basically on the same page...but I'm leaning more towards just a Trad Barebow Class and if there would be enough interest...a Sighted Trad Class and a couple Compound Classes.



kegan said:


> It would be a BLAST!


I think it would definitely be a BLAST!

Ray :shade:


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Good point, everyone on the same playing field that way. Ray, what would be your rough outline of what you had in mind, order/target styles wise?


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

kegan said:


> Good point, everyone on the same playing field that way. Ray, what would be your rough outline of what you had in mind, order/target styles wise?


I would like to see a good bowhunter's 3D course set up with shots at unmarked distances that mixed in some required kneeling, canting of the bow and other typical circumstances the average bowhunter may expereince.

Next would be a NFAA 300 round.

Followed by a typical Field Course.

Followed by an aerial target course using Laporte Target Throwers.

This would take place over a 2 or 3 day event.

Ray :shade:


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

That would be a heck of a shoot  I'm not familiar with Lapote throwers, which are those?

You could also do "short rounds" of each and fit it all in to a single day. The styles of each would be shorter, but by the end your endurance and dertermination would definately be showing!


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## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

I think no matter what you do - the Olympic Shooters will do the best - becuase they are the most dedicated to the sport and spend more time in practice and training than any other group of archers. I don't think that there are many in this forum or even IBO World Champs, NFAA Champs, IFAA champs that dedicated up to 8 hours a day 6 days a week to training and practice. The Olympians are the elite of archery - the best of the best - and whatever style you threw at them - I am confident they would master.


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

kegan said:


> That would be a heck of a shoot  I'm not familiar with Lapote throwers, which are those?


Sorry...I orginally mispelled it. It's Laporte. Here's a website that features them.

http://www.archers-review.com/archery-kit/la-porte-archery-target-throwe



kegan said:


> You could also do "short rounds" of each and fit it all in to a single day. The styles of each would be shorter, but by the end your endurance and dertermination would definately be showing!


Now you're thinking. Great idea! :thumbs_up

Ray :shade:


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## kegan (Aug 28, 2006)

Ken, you're right, but then that's also their job. Anyone CAN put the roof on their own house, but if you hired a roofing company it could go on faster, more efficiently, and most likely better in over all quality... but then again it better, because it is their job 

I think this Decathalon idea would just a fantastic idea for a new style of shoots, and I bet a lot of archers would get a kick out of it. I really like the Laporte thrower there, I've seen videos and what not but never knew the name. After a long day of shooting, maybe half rounds of each, trying to hit those disks out of the air would be a challenge, and probably wind up becoming very important to the over all score. It might just be me, but wing shooting seems to take the most out of me because of the constant twisting and moving to follow on and through the target.


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

kegan said:


> Ken, you're right, but then that's also their job. Anyone CAN put the roof on their own house, but if you hired a roofing company it could go on faster, more efficiently, and most likely better in over all quality... but then again it better, because it is their job
> 
> I think this Decathalon idea would just a fantastic idea for a new style of shoots, and I bet a lot of archers would get a kick out of it. I really like the Laporte thrower there, I've seen videos and what not but never knew the name. After a long day of shooting, maybe half rounds of each, trying to hit those disks out of the air would be a challenge, and probably wind up becoming very important to the over all score. It might just be me, but wing shooting seems to take the most out of me because of the constant twisting and moving to follow on and through the target.


:thumbs_up

As we can see with this thread....for an archer to be 'the BEST in the world' means different things for different people.

The way kegan and I see it....is to be the BEST in the world...an archer has to be able to hit any target under just about any circumstance more times than his competitor....not in just one event.

If someone is going to claim a specific group of archers to be 'the BEST in the world' I think there should be some added clarification in the discipline the archers are shooting within.

Ray :shade:


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## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

Olympic archers # 1 

Jinkster close second


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## 2413gary (Apr 10, 2008)

sharpbroadhead said:


> I think no matter what you do - the Olympic Shooters will do the best - becuase they are the most dedicated to the sport and spend more time in practice and training than any other group of archers. I don't think that there are many in this forum or even IBO World Champs, NFAA Champs, IFAA champs that dedicated up to 8 hours a day 6 days a week to training and practice. The Olympians are the elite of archery - the best of the best - and whatever style you threw at them - I am confident they would master.


My wife .
Gary


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

Compound = USA
Recurve = Italy, they just proved it. Although very competative any of 4 countries on a given day could be the best.


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## benofthehood (May 18, 2011)

sharpbroadhead said:


> I think no matter what you do - the Olympic Shooters will do the best - becuase they are the most dedicated to the sport and spend more time in practice and training than any other group of archers. I don't think that there are many in this forum or even IBO World Champs, NFAA Champs, IFAA champs that dedicated up to 8 hours a day 6 days a week to training and practice. The Olympians are the elite of archery - the best of the best - and whatever style you threw at them - I am confident they would master.



What Sharp said x 10


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## J. Wesbrock (Dec 17, 2003)

If I had to guess, I'd say Olympic archers followed by field archers. I'd go with 3D archers third and indoor paper fourth. Novelty shoots wouldn't even rank.


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## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

steve morley said:


> http://www.worldarchery.org/content.asp?id=5576&me_id=3990&cnt_id=5577
> 
> World Games has both Field and target, some info about who are the best past and present at both combined disciplines at the bottom of page, there has been talk about adding 3D to this event


Now we're talking! Add in aerial targets and we're good to go :thumbs_up

Ray :shade:


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## miko0618 (Mar 3, 2005)

I think you guys might be missing some things. Top level archers will be top level at any aspect of archery. They master the type of archery they choose. It wouldn't matter if it was skateboarding while shooting. They will figure out the best way to do it. The olympic archers are the best at olympic shooting. So theres no way to compare jesse to brady.


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