Lord Provost George Grubb and several Edinburgh Councillors tried their hand at archery after The Royal Company of Archers completed their 300th shoot for the Edinburgh Arrow in The Meadows yesterday (Tuesday). The civic leaders found drawing the sixty pound bow quite a challenge. They said they did not feel able to challenge The Royal Company to a match quite yet.
The afternoon started with light rain, but cleared with sunshine gracing the final stages of the match and the prizegiving. Although winds were light they were variable, making it a deceptive afternoon for competition shooting.
A few Archers revelled in the conditions and Bill Warrack was the eventual winner having scored two "clouts" or strikes on the target at a distance of 180 yards (most arrows fall around the target rather than hit it). Warrack beat Anthony Cox by just one point.
It was a particularly
special occasion for Bill Warrack who also had the distinction of winning the Musselburgh Arrow in the year its 400th shoot was celebrated in 2003. So one might say that Bill Warrack represents the
best of some 700 years worth of archery!
The Royal Company followed by the Lord Provost and Councillors were led back to the City Chambers by the Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band which proved very popular with a mass of tourists in the High Street who took many photographs.
At a reception in the City Chambers the Lord Provost and Lord Airlie, Captain General of The Royal Company, exchanged mementos to mark the occasion.