dimensionalgameanimalsplacedat known
andunknowndistances.Anarchershoots
onearrowat eachofthetwentytargetsfor
a finalscore.
“In1994,theshootinggamewasformed
in theUSAasa meansforhuntersto develop
shootingproficiency,”Pierretellsme.Since
then,3Dhasbecomea major,mainstream
competitivesportdueto thelevelofdifficulty.
Tensofthousandsofdollarsareawarded
annuallyin Americantournaments,andmany
Africanarcherschasethehigh-dollarpots.
Soon,Luzanneandthegroupoffiveother
archersreceiveinstructionandwewalktogether
througha fieldmoistwithmorningdew,along
a smalllakeandintoa poplarforest,untilwe
reachthestartingpoint.Targetnumbernine.
Thearchersmustshoota small‘buck’tucked
betweentreesandplacedabout 30 metresaway.
Luzannestepsfirstto theline.I gaggle
withshootersFolkers(Follie)Herholdtof
PretoriaandTjaardduPlessisofHeidelberg.
Follieownsa companythatmakescustom
bowstrings,anddepartsforAmericathenext
weekto competeasa proin a seriesofhigh-
stakesarcherytournaments.Tjaardhasbeen
shooting3Dseriouslysince 2016 andhas
twonationaltitlesunderhisbelt.Wewatch
Luzanneprepareforthefirststrikeofthe
tournament.
Theveterancompetitorusesa small
rangefinderto calculatedistance,plantsher
feet, positions herself sideways to the target,
and begins a regimen of shooting that includes
a dozen processes, maybe more, all needing
precise execution. She releases an arrow and
it appears to be a good one. The other shooters
take their turn, score the target and we hike
to the next station.
I walk with Reghardt van Jaarsveld of
Pretoria, Anthony Lauter of Johannesburg and
Jaco Streicher of Heidelberg. Reghardt began
3D shooting in February and is learning the
sport. Anthony began shooting in 2009 but
this is only his second tournament. Jaco enjoys
the challenge, shoots only for fun, satisfied to
simply beat his previous personal best.
We reach the next station to find a faux
warthog in the shadows of thick brush,20 metres from the line. The archers must shoot
into the sun and find the obscured bullseye on
the 3D target. Luzanne will be last to shoot so
we grab a seat under a nearby tree. I ask what
inspired her to take up high-stakes competitive
archery. “My dad died in 2016 and I was not
in a good place. Archery was an outlet for my
mind and helped me get through that period
of my life,” Luzanne says.
Soon, it’s her turn to address the target.
I hope our conversation won’t rattle her, but
quickly discount the thought. Strong-willed
competitors like Luzanne seem to find a way
to turn tragedy into triumph.
We carry on, hiking through a forest of
karee and stinkwood trees where Reghardt,
a well-studied amateur historian, points toRIGHT: Luzanne warming up on the practice range at the
Magnum Archery field near Donkerhoek. BELOW LEFT
AND RIGHT: She ranges distance for a new target in the
open veld, loads an arrow and expertly releases it.
ARCHERY ◗ LUZANNE GRANT