Yorkshire Archery – Scorton Silver Arrow

‘Sorry you need to be over 21’

Archery with a silver arrow dates back to a contest in the sixteenth century.
Ever-since It has been an annual event in the North Yorkshire village of Scorton or other Yorkshire location. The original arrow is now on display at the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds.

• The morning session firing arrows at a target 100 yards away is tough but it gets harder in the afternoon after imbibing copious quantities of lunchtime booze to nullify the effect of the Captain’s lunch and AGM.
• The Society of Archers was formed at the first meeting in 1673
• It is one of the few sporting fixtures where the competitor is on his own honour to mark his own score card.
• Competitors are able to enjoy and share a drink on the field of play (health and safety eat your heart out)
• The winner is appointed Captain of the Arrow and they must organise the event next year.
• The competition is the oldest recorded sporting event still running although the East riding village of Kiplingcotes and the Kiplingcotes Derby is widely accepted to be the oldest annual horse race in the English sporting calendar. It reputedly began in 1519
• Wheelchair events and serious archery competition are now also a part of what is a grand old traditional Yorkshire event.

The Society of Archers

The Society of Archers was formed at the first meeting of the  Silver Arrow Competition in 1673 for the
purpose of maintaining Target Archery. This skill  was largely in decline following the English Civil War.
The purpose of the Yorkshire Archery Association is to promote and support the sport of archery in Yorkshire.
The YAA is the county affiliation body for clubs in Yorkshire.
Archery Clubs in Yorkshire