As HRH Dasho Jigyel U. Wangchuck and Sonam Lhagyel lifted the Rolling Trophy for team Phoja, thunderous victory shouts sounded round the Changlimithang. It was thunderous moment and well deserved one for the team of Phoja, who completed their eighth straight win with the finals of 13^th Yangphel Open Archery Tournament. Phoja was declared the ‘Best Team of the Year 2009’ after they defeated Namseycholing R and Quality Gases Pvt Ltd in the Sept 12 Finals.

When HRH Dasho Jigyel U. Wangchuck hit choenda completing Phoja’s 2^nd Read more…

8^th Sept 2009                        as many had expected, HRH Dasho Jigyel U. Wangchuck and team Phoja are now in the finals after having defeated Nazhoen Charo and Thu Tob in the semi final match today. They did it with their 50 Kareys and 2 game sets. Most had expected as much, but hundreds flocked to the Changlimithang range to see Phoja actually do it.

Unlike the two earlier semi finals, where the losing teams had no chance to equalize whatsoever after certain point in a match, today Nazhoen Charo had the chance to Read more…

7^th Sept 2009                        had the 14^th round hit of Tob Dhen Dhey’s Ata Sonam been a two pointer than the saa-karey (1 pointer), there could have been a different result of today’s 2^nd semi final match. Or for that matter, had any of the other Tob Dhen Dhey’s two pointer hit had been a bull’s eye (three pointer) then Tob Dhen Dhey could have cancelled out the enough points to keep Namseycholing R from winning the second game set in the 2^nd last round. As a team can complete only one game set in each round and with only one round left to complete the match, Namseycholing R became the 2009 finalists by the end of 14^th round - being 2 game set ahead. Read more…

Like everything else, the other side of archery begins with God. Every time a tournament is under way, there are suddenly silent, unassuming, sentinels at every sacred place. One archer can’t quite forget his moment of triumph, even though it was not in the real game, and still gets ecstatic every time he regales listeners with the story. Temples and deities are much, or most, sought during tournaments. Archers say the simplest short cut to victory is appeasing your protectors and carrying to the game a piece of anything blessed by the deities.

Forty-nine young people draw their invisible bows in six different steps to the loud calls of their instructors at Changlingmithang field for full five week days. Along with the drawing of imaginary bows (sometimes replaced by rubber bands), to develop the right form for shooting arrows, they also undergo physical trainings such as running, stretching and weight trainings. Read more…