ARCH-ed TPM4 - Steinhöring, Germany

ARCH-ed Fourth Transnational Project Meeting - Steinhoring, Germany

We’ve just started our next ARCHed meeting, hosted by Pferd und Bogen in Steinhöring, Germany. During this session, our coaches will focus on iHBA (Inclusive Horseback Archery) and paraHBA, learning how to teach newcomers with physical and mental disabilities. Following our previous meeting in Slovakia, where we advanced our horseback archery techniques, this meeting brought a new focus on inclusion and adaptability.

The first day began early with two insightful lectures. Claire Sawyer, Vice President of IHAA and BHAA Board member, presented an online session on Inclusive & Para Horseback Archery. She introduced the principles of inclusive HBA, which encourages the participation of individuals with disabilities, chronic health conditions, or learning disabilities in competitive archery at walk, trot, and canter. Claire also explained the bespoke classification system for paraHBA, including practical tests and scoring methods. After the lecture, we tried some of the classification tests ourselves, even shooting arrows blindfolded. We concluded the exercise with key tips on coaching blind or visually impaired archers, including clear instructions, concise feedback, and empathy.

The second lecture was delivered by Birgit Bühler, a specialist in equestrian history from Vienna University. She shared her experience with inclusive animal-assisted activities at Schottenhof Therapy Center in Vienna and discussed incorporating HBA into these programs, including the use of a horse-riding simulator for teaching and research.

After a traditional Bavarian lunch, we moved on to a practical session where our coaches worked with three individuals facing different psychological and physical challenges. It was a valuable, eye-opening experience for everyone. We then practiced our archery skills on foot and horseback before wrapping up the day with a visit to Fruhlingsfest, a local Bavarian spring celebration.

Monday brought more excitement with a special guest, Anna Minkkinen, a top HBA coach from Finland. Anna, who is also a physiotherapist and expert in sports biomechanics, led a lecture on “Biomechanics and body care for horseback archers,” which sparked an engaging discussion. Afterward, we participated in a warm-up session guided by Anna, followed by a practical ground archery lesson.

In the afternoon, we had another exciting surprise: a training session with Christoph Némethy, a three-time European Champion and renowned horseback archery coach. The opportunity to learn from Christoph left everyone energized and eager for more. We ended the day with a traditional Bavarian dinner, including some delicious desserts.

On the final day, despite the sudden cold and windy weather, our coaches practiced under the guidance of Anna Minkkinen. The morning was split between ground archery and horseback archery before wrapping up the workshop at lunchtime.

Although the workshop has come to an end, our next meeting will be during the October ranking HBA competition in Poland at Kawalkada Sports Club. Until then, each partner will be organizing a local sports event in September to promote the ARCHed project during the European Week of Sport. Stay tuned for more updates!

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