N.Z. Archer Scores Hat Trick In World Contest

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27592, 24 February 1955, Page 10

N.Z. Archer Scores Hat Trick In World Contest

“The Press’* Special Service

AUCKLAND, February 23. Auckland has a modern Robin Hood who is something of a world figure. He is Mr Sidney Mitchener, of Onehunga, who appears to have been the first archer in world competition to hit the bull three times in succession at 50 metres. He did it while competing for the Seefab Cup, an international championship in which each archer shoots three arrows at the target each round. New Zealand won the competition and holds the cup for this year. To perform the hat trick is a great deal harder than it sounds, for the bull in international competition is only fiur inches across, and viewed from over a thumb at 50 metres it appears about as big as a pin head. Mr Mitchener is modest about his skill and says: “I suppose it was a bit of a fluke.” He admits that “many times” he has got two arrows in the bull and one just outside at 50 metres. His performance in the Seefab Cup competition has won him honorary membership in the archery, “inner circle” of the Royal Toxopnilite Society, which has a charter issued in 1781, and has as its patron the Queen. About two weeks after Mr Mitchener scored his bulls, the feat was duplicated by another New Zealander, Mr J.

Burton, of Gisborne, who is the world short-range champion. Mr Mitchener is a veteran among New Zealand archers. He took up the sport 10 years ago. Soon afterwards -the .first Auckland club was formed. Mr Mitchener is now president of -the club and a life; member and past", president of the Auckland District Archery Association, and vice-presi-dent of the New Zealand Archery Association. At the last Dominion champipnships he won the Robin Hood title for the most accurate shooter of a single arrow. He makes his own bows and arrows because, he says, good ones from overseas are hard to get and expensive. Club members say his “work is very good indeed. Mrs Mitchener is also an enthusiastic archer, and has won several distance championships-with bows made by her husband. Archery is a fast-growing sport in New Zealand. There are about 60 clubs, nine of them in the Auckland district, and hundreds of members. Apart from week-end competitions—the sport can continue ail the year round—many members go hunting. Their bags range from deer arid goats to wallabies and rabbits.