An English sojourn part II: Horseback Archery!

The longbow and England go together like clotted cream and strawberries, redolent of Robin Hood, Agincourt and green hats in sun-dappled forests. Strolling through leafy Montpellier Gardens in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, recently, I was diverted to see that the great 19th-century archer Horace Ford, 12 times national champion, laid the foundations for the modern, scientific approach to the sport in the very gardens now familiar to attendees of the LiteratureFestival. He founded Cheltenham Archers, still going strong, in 1857, although trousers rather than tights were the usual attire for Victorian archers.  Horseback archery, however, has a more exotic feel, evoking the armies of the Orient or the Mongolian hordes (or, these days, various characters from The Lord of the Rings). In Japan and Korea, where the international standard is set, horseback archery is akin to a religion, with young archers spending months in training before even nocking an arrow. It takes rather less time with the Stampede Stunt Company, yet such is the efficacy and good humour of Karl Greenwood’s teaching, that I was shooting three arrows in succession from a cantering horse by the end of the day.

Yes, the horse is cantering, and I have just fired an arrow!

Karl and his wife Zana Cousins-Greenwood run the Stampede Stunt Company and The Centre of Horseback Combat from the beautiful 18th-century stables on the Gaddesden Estate near Berkhamstead. Only just outside the M25, it could be in deepest Herefordshire rather than Hertfordshire; as Karl pointed out, the view from the archery field, past the elegant Palladian lines of James Wyatt’s Gaddesden Place, hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. Moving here after answering an advertisement in Horse & Hound, pleasingly, Karl, Zana and their team cleaned and restored the stables, transforming the old cobweb-festooned tack room into a dark-red haven with walls hung with bows and photographs of the stunt riders in action. The Stampede riders travel all over the world displaying their skills, from jousting to Roman riding (standing up on the saddles), trick riding and, of course, archery. A new venture is the Gaddesden Banquet & Joust, during which guests gorge on a four-course feast laid out in tents that flank the tilting field and knights challenge each other to win fair maidens’ hearts. Check out their Facebook page for some spectacular photographs.

Prepping the class with Gaddesden Place in the distance

The archery track leads away from Wyatt's noble portico

Not a medieval castle, but not a bad backdrop nonetheless  

 

But when they’re not galloping around showgrounds, wielding weapons with pinpoint accuracy and standing astride two horses as if they were a pair of sofas, Karl and Zana initiate lesser mortals into their secrets. They run classes in horseback archery, trick and Roman riding, stunt riding for professionals and actors, and, uniquely, rider confidence courses that draw on Karl’s background in sports hypnotherapy to teach people how to fall, how to cope with a difficult situation or bad behaviour and to regain nerve after a bad experience. Karl and Zana both have extraordinary patience and good humour, much needed when arrows are flying all over the place!

Karl with an assortment of gorgeous recurve bows

A touch of colour for the arrows

Old and new: armour and medieval antics as seen in 21st-century

print journalism displayed in the meeting room,

which is stocked with Kit-Kats and coffee, rather than mead

We began the day with a film of professional horse archery competitions in Korea, a spectacular display of accuracy and speed that looks impossible to emulate. Outside in the old walled garden, next to the newly built school with its bouncy rubber surface (perfect for falling off onto) we practice firing arrows on foot. These are serious weapons – the power with which they thud into the foam targets is impressive, even from a bow wielded by a beginner like me. The only other bow I have ever shot with was in Mongolia, an extremely heavy one from which I managed to fire five arrows only a few metres before my strength gave out. My Mongolian guides made it look extremely easy – I put it down to centuries of muscle memory!

A local shows me how it's done in Mongolia in 2011

My guide Esee shrugs off his Western dress and returns

to the days of Genghis Khan

I could barely pull the string back!

Fortunately, recurve bows for horseback archery are lighter, mine being about 25lb, and shorter, for ease of use when a horse’s neck is in the way. They are beautiful objects, with many different designs available and a sweeping, curved elegance that is romantic and deadly at the same time. Karl practises the Korean-style thumb draw, pulling the string in the crook of the right thumb rather than with the fingers, holding the thumbnail firm with the index finger. The tip of the right thumb touches the two hen feathers, and the third or cock feather is a different colour and is perpendicular to the nock. Altogether, the feathers keep the arrow flying straight and true. If you feel the hen feathers with your thumb, you should be able to slide your arrow back to the string and nock it without looking. After a good deal of practice, at least. 

Taking aim from the ground. Oddly, harder than on horseback! 

 

The horseback thumb draw

I didn’t exactly excel on the ground, especially when the four participants raced, partly because I’m hopeless in competitions and partly because the others had all done archery before, but for some reason I settled into a rhythm on the horse (the splendid Jupiter). Starting at walk with a helper leading, we were all, incredibly, shooting three arrows from canter at the end. I even got a bullseye once, although I’m fairly sure it was a fluke! It was exhilarating and satisfying and thrilling, requiring absolute concentration, rhythm and attention on both the arrows and the horse at once – the horse must keep cantering the whole way, or the competitor is disqualified, and they know immediately if you stop riding because you’re thinking about aiming instead. The trick is not to think about where the arrow goes, but to loose and straightaway look to the next target. My best run came when Karl suggested I imagine the targets are something worth shooting… my first thought was Nicola Sturgeon and her nationalist rantings, so we agreed each target was a referendum and that if I missed, the United Kingdom would be lost. I am delighted to say I saved the Kingdom – a noble endeavour indeed!

An early arrow at a steady pace

Lining up a shot...

...and finishing with the requisite post-release flourish, which keeps the arm

and arrow away from the horse's neck and the rider in balance

Quite proud I snapped an arrow in flight! 

 

And again!

 

Oh yes. Exhilarating!

Brilliant horse, proud pupil and even more brilliant teacher

Gaddesden archers, ready to take on an army

There are still lessons available this year, up to the end of October, and I urge you to book one now. The Stampede Stunt Company are also demonstrating at various events: Surrey County Show on September 27th with the Gulliver's Carnival Trick Riding Show, the Robin Hood Game & Country Shows at Ipswich on October 10th-11th and Newark on October 17th-18th with the Magna Carta Jousting Show, and finally at Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on November 14th-15th. Not to be missed!

An English sojourn part I: the CLA Game Fair and Burghley Horse Trials

The reported heatwave I had read about in foggy San Francisco came to an end the moment I landed in England. I had forgotten that the English weather was capable of deluging us in a solid day of rain, but fortunately, I haven’t become completely soft in my time in California, and I had plenty of distractions from the wet stuff. My English sojourn was bookended by two great events at two splendid locations: the CLA Game Fair and Burghley Horse Trials, at Harewood House and Burghley. I had timed my arrival home to coincide with the Game Fair, and it was more than worth the M1 average-speed purgatory to mingle once more with dogs and their tweed-clad owners, to talk of grouse moors and drink Champagne with old friends on the Country Life stand. This annual extravaganza of the countryside, where tradestands offer everything from earplugs to tractors, fishing flies to bronze sculptures, is the big weekend of rural business, where magazine subscriptions are renewed, gossip exchanged and equipment purchased for every country sport. Even the BBC had cottoned onto the fact that quite a few people turn up here (nearly 150,000 over the weekend), and recorded both Countryfile and the Today programme on site. Irritatingly, if unsurprisingly, the resulting Countryfile programme was cute-ified, with the female presenter squeaking about smashing a couple of clays and worrying that game birds might actually get killed, but they did at least show a few shots of hounds. The Today programme, recorded from 7am to 9am in the Game Fair Theatre, was excellent, discussing the challenges of running a modern estate with the untweedy Earl of Harewood and the lack of rural housing. Jim Naughtie won all our hearts, especially when he praised the well-behaved dogs lying at their owners’ feet (especially, we considered, Socks, the labrador belonging to gamekeeper Simon Lester and his wife Paula, joint features editor of Country Life). Mr Naughtie's wish for a dog of his own led to an avalanche of offers!

Harewood House glimpsed from the heart of the CLA Game Fair

A cheerful children-and-hound pile-up in the main arena

Defining 'a matched pair'

Nimrod, the London to Dover stagecoach

The great Jim Naughtie in full flow 

 

Socks, one of the 'well-behaved dogs' paying close attention 

The Game Fair Theatre was, as always, host to some excellent debates, as well as some light relief in the form of The Field editor Jonathan Young and friends discussing Macnabs. Things kicked off on Friday morning with Kate Green, managing editor of Country Life, talking to Rory Stewart MP and CLA president Henry Robinson about the priorities of Mr Stewart’s new role as Environment Minister, promoting rural businesses and growing the rural economy. Saturday saw Owen Paterson MP go up against Mark Avery, formerly of the RSPB, in his annual role as devil’s advocate, trying to upset as many people as possible with his rants against shooting. In contrast with Kate Green’s authoritative chairmanship, CLA vice-president Tim Breitmeyer allowed Dr Avery to promote his new book rather too much, but at least a lot of sense was made by Mr Paterson, Philip Merricks of the Elmley Nature Reserve in Kent and Ian Coghill of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust regarding the role of landowners in managing wildlife. (I wonder what Dr Avery made of the brilliant juxtaposition created by the organisers in placing an RSPB tent right next to the Upland Hydrology Group, where a banner proclaimed: 'Thanks to grouse shooting, heather moorland is thriving!') You can listen to all the debates, plus many more highlights of the weekend, on the Game Fair Radio website. I recommend taking the time. Another excellent source of common sense is Charlie Pye-Smith's new book The Facts of Rural Life: why we need better wildlife management. Published by the Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management, it is clearly written and illustrated, but let down by its floppy, booklet-esque nature: if it was reprinted as a proper book, it would become a must-read.

 

Tim Breitmeyer takes charge of Owen Paterson, Mark Avery,

Philip Merricks and Ian Coghill as they discuss the role

of Man in wildlife management

Anyone for an Imperial Macnab? Jonathan Young (centre) discusses the

ultimate sporting challenge with Niall Rowantree, head stalker at West Highland

Hunting and Peter Glenser, firearms barrister and BASC councillor

 

The anti-grouse moor RSPB and the Upland Hydrology Group

Some felt the weekend was quieter than usual, with fewer stands and fewer people. Many attributed this to the location, but I cannot believe people are so feeble as to not to be able to drive a little further – it only took me three hours to get there from Cheltenham. People evidently think of Yorkshire as being the back of beyond, but it really isn’t that far, and I don’t think I’ve merely become inured to driving five hours to go hunting in California. Harewood is in south Yorkshire, in any case, near Leeds and Harrogate and is such a glorious house and setting that it is absolutely worth the extra effort. There were a couple of slightly ill-thought-out aspects, however, such as the Exploring Nature section that had a Skoda display stand and someone selling walking sticks. It was beyond the Food Village, which is chockful of unbelievably delicious food (a favourite of mine is the Handmade Scotch Egg Company), so no one needed to venture further in search of sustenance. This was a shame, because the Cumbrian Sausage Company was beyond and Oli Nohl-Oser’s scrumptious hot dogs are worth the effort. Fortunately, they’re readily available in Waitrose, Whole Foods, etc – look out for them!

The slightly random, and empty, Exploring Nature section

Robert Adam and James Carr's magnificent Harewood House

Yes, it rained. Well, it was in Yorkshire in July! 

At Burghley, treats of a sweeter kind were in order from The Brownie Company, based nearby in Stamford. Gooey, rich and melt-in-the-mouth, perfect on a blustery Friday. Miraculously, we had room for slow-cooked beef from an Argentine food truck afterwards – you certainly don’t go hungry at these events. I was at Burghley to help – or at least be on hand to help – Rosie van Cutsem’s new clothing company, Troy London. When not organising our Irish huntingextravangazas and running the Riding Club London, Rosie, with her sister Lucia, has founded a luxury city-to-country clothing brand that uses only British materials and manufacturers, and features some truly gorgeous stuff, from fur-trimmed cashmere capes to embroidered waistcoats and tailored wax parkas. Fellow hunter Aoife and I had a lot of fun sashaying around in the capes and hopefully tempting customers.

Rosie of TROY London in a black Cartwright Cape

The rather fetching TROY stand, complete with ceramic dog bowl

Aoife, aka Britain's Next Top Model, sporting the blue cape

Me in the Wax Parka

The location of TROY's stand was perfect, right by Discovery Valley, so we could watch riders tackling the double of brush Land Rovers without even leaving our posts. Most made it look easy, but there was the odd run-out and, of course, the terrible moment when, having been held on the course, William Fox-Pitt sensibly took the long option to settle his horse and managed to gallop straight past the second element. The shouts of the crowd made him turn back, but the time lost meant his overnight joint lead was gone. The German conqueror Michael Jung, despite an uncharacteristic and ever so slightly hilarious splat in the lake, took the title with his fantastic horse Sam. He is brilliant, but I can’t help remembering him being less than gentlemanly in the Badminton press tent a couple of years ago when he, perhaps unwittingly, swept my mother and her whippet out of the way at the bar. William Fox-Pitt is unfailingly courteous, and he has a gorgeous whippet lurcher, so, clearly, he’s the one we want to win every time.

Eventing's gentleman: William Fox-Pitt

William and his whippet lurcher Poppy. Read about her in the Telegraph

The first challenge: into the lake

Apparently, just cantering down a slope into water can be tricky...

Michael Jung was careful the second time and put in a flawless round

We could do this one! Aoife, known for flying over huge

fences side-saddle, at an inviting hedge

Above and below Making Discovery Valley look easy

The Rugby World Cup jump. Approaching these, it looks horribly

as if the rider's head is in danger from the bar, but fortunately it's an illusion

The Rugby World Cup trophy on tour in its specially

designed Land Rover, with 2003 winner Jason Robinson

 

The New Zealand contingent around the gorgeous Webb Ellis trophy

 

No event such as the Game Fair or Burghley is complete without a glass or two of bubbly, and our rations were of a superior quality at Burghley. Pol Roger is touring the country with a bespoke Land Rover Defender, loaded up with Champagne, and stopped at Burghley to launch the 2004 Vintage of Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the great man's death. Churchill professed Pol Roger to be 'the most drinkable address in the world' and even named a racehorse after the house, strengthening a relationship that began at a dinner to celebrate the Liberation of Parish, at which the 1928 vintage was served and he formed a friendship with Odette Pol-Roger. He was a man of great taste, and we all agreed he would have enjoyed the full-bodied and creamy Champagne with its notes of toasted almonds and honey. Those aromas, incidentally, were genuinely noticeable, even for a novice like me - I haven't just paraphrased the tasting notes! The launch party at The George in Stamford was the perfect way to round off a blustery Friday at one of the greatest horse trials in the world. 

Cassidy Dart of Pol Roger pours a glass or two on the

stylish bar decorated with collage art by Emma McCall

of Once Upon a Table

Aoife settles in...dangerous business leaving

us with such delicious provisions!

Pol Roger's classic Land Rover Defender

 

Pol Roger's Paul Graham introduces the

Sir Winston Churchill cuvée at The George 

Harewood and Burghley are both superlative 21st-century country estates, great historic houses still in private hands with spectacular gardens and grounds, all open to the public and host to events attended by thousands of people. It’s a phenomenon unique to Britain, a perfect synergy of private and public, beautiful and commercial, useful and picturesque. There are estates like it all over the country, from Goodwood in Sussex to Scone Palace in Perthshire, Port Eliot in Cornwall and Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire. They are run to the benefit of all by dedicated teams headed by families that, because of their long connection with the houses, have a vested interest in making them successful. Nicola Sturgeon and her minions in the SNP north of the border, with their envy-driven land grab, fail to realise that most great estates in Scotland are run to the benefit of everyone who lives and works on them, and that landowners are as hardworking  - and often just as cash-strapped – as anyone. I write this on the eve of a day when Jeremy Corbyn, new leader of the Labour Party, has appointed Kerry McCarthy, vice-president of the League Against Cruel Sports and militant vegan, as shadow Defra Minister. A woman who has previously railed against farming now represents the farmers she professes to despise. If that doesn’t prove how little Labour understands or cares about the countryside, I don’t know what does. The best of the countryside is when ‘communities’, in the real sense, not as spouted by achingly 'with-it' lobbyists, work in harmony to the benefit of all. Just writing that sounds ridiculously politically correct, and no one who is part of such a community would dream of articulating it like that, but there is a genuine thread of common purpose connecting the best of the rural world, from farmers to shopkeepers, farriers to pub owners, huntsmen to ghillies, and the likes of Ms McCarthy would do well to learn it. Thank goodness she is never likely to be in power!

Harewood (above) and Burghley (below): crucial elements of the rural tapestry