Archery: Phojas on Sunday bagged Nu 60,000 for hitting 68 Karays during a league match, the highest in the history of Yangphel Archery Tournament.

On Saturday, Chador T Construction took home Nu 60,000 for hitting 65 karays.

This is one of the two new prize categories that the tournament has introduced this year to commemorate the 60th birth anniversary of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo and Gyalyum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck.

Top archers from regional teams will take part in an open shootout to win Nu 60,000.

So far only two teams from Thimphu have managed to bag the prize.

Top 15 archers with highest karays from all the regional venues will undergo a shootout to determine the three best archers of the tournament.

A total of 249 teams from 11 regions are taking part in this year’s tournament. The league round will conclude on August 8 and the knockout will begin from August 10 at the archery range in Changlimithang, Thimphu.

Tshering Phuentsho, the chief umpire of the tournament, said the tournament this year has attractive prizes. Players have the choice to use accessories such as trigger release and scopes for accuracy.

Bhutan Archery Federation conducted training to nine interested archers on the usage of the accessories before the tournament. Tshering Phuentsho said that only three archers were seen using triggers during the tournament.

Tashi Penjor of Samyued Bhutan is one of the archers who use the trigger release. He has hit 40 karays in 45 rounds.
“Archers who are comfortable using the accessories capitalise on the opportunity. But I’ve also seen others who use the same trigger but are not able to hit like Tashi Penjor,” said Tshering Phuentsho.

By Younten Tshedup