Popinjay (sport)

Popinjay or Popingo (signifying a painted bird) is a shooting sport that can be performed with either rifles or archery equipment. The rifle form is a popular diversion in Denmark; a Scottish variant is also known. The archery form is popular in Belgium and is shot occasionally in the United Kingdom under the governance of the Grand National Archery Society. In Germany a traditional shooting at wooden birds placed on an high pole is called "Vogelschießen" (that is "bird shooting"). These are being carried out either with small bore rifles or crossbows.

Archery

The archery form of popinjay dates back to at least the fifteenth century. The annual popinjay (or papingo) tournament of the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers, of Ayrshire in Scotland, is believed to have been running since 1483, though the records are only reliable from 1688. The current prize of a silver arrow was introduced in 1724. Fact|date=October 2007

Popinjay archery is popular in Belgium, but is less common elsewhere. Many Belgian clubs have permanently-erected popinjay masts. Popinjay can also be shot horizontally rather than vertically, though this form is even less common.

There are no international standard rules of popinjay. The definition of rules is left to national archery organisations.

Vertical

The format and rules of popinjay given below are drawn from those defined for the United Kingdom by the Grand National Archery Society. The specific rules are given in the GNAS Rules of Shooting 2006, rules 1000 to 1006. (GNAS, 2006)

The object of popinjay is to knock artificial birds off their perches. The perches are cross-pieces on top of a 90-foot mast. The "cock" (the largest bird) is set on the top cross piece. Four smaller "hens" are set on the next crosspiece down. Two dozen or so "chicks" (the smallest birds) are set on the lower cross pieces. (GNAS, 2006 - rule 1000)

The archer stands near the base of the mast and shoots arrows upwards at the birds. (GNAS, 2006 - rule 1000) The arrows are tipped with rubber blunts rather than sharp points. The blunts are between 0.75 inches and 1 inch in diameter. (GNAS, 2006 - rule 1001)

Points are scored for each bird knocked off. Typically, the archer scores 5 points for the cock, 3 points for a hen and 1 point for a chick. (GNAS, 2006 - rule 1004)

Horizontal

In Ontario, Canada and Michigan, United States, there are popinjay archery clubs that shoot horizontally at the angled indoor "perch" (or "rack") from a distance of convert|65|ft|m|1cite book
last = Magee
first = Joan
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Belgians in Ontario: A History
publisher = Dundurn Press Ltd.
date = October 1987
location =
pages = pp. 122-124
url =
doi =
id =
isbn = 1550020145] . This horizontal variation of popinjay originates from the Flanders, Belgium. The perch consists of a "high bird" worth 4 points, two "side birds" worth 3 points, two "kalle birds" worth 2 points, and 30 "little/small birds" worth one point. The "birds" consist of "blocks" (often made of plastic) for a base, with a hole in it to slide onto the pin of the perch, and feathers attached to the block by a small wire. The objective of the sport is to shoot an arrow with a plastic or rubber blunt tip also known as a "block" (not to be confused with the base of the birds) and knock off one of the birds on the perch without the use of a sight. At the end of the season, trophies are awarded to members who have received the most points in their division or category.

Festival of Popinjay

The Festival of Popinjay is an old British tradition held on the first Sunday in May. On this day, a figure of a popinjay (a parrot or other brightly marked bird) clothed in coloured feathers is suspended from a pole and used as a shooting target. The man whose ball or arrow severs the string being used to suspend the bird can claim the title "Captain Popinjay" for the rest of the day.

Rifles

In the Rifle form, members of Popinjay Clubs -- likely from the upper classes -- would gather in a field in front of spectators; the festivities were sometimes marked by musical bands and other entertainment. (Biggar)

Competitors armed with rifles would take turns shooting at the popinjay, a small bird (carving?) which would be mounted on a high pole. An assortment of prizes awaited competitors who were first to shoot different parts of the bird.Fact|date=February 2007

References

*cite web |url=http://fp.ayrshireroots.plus.com/Towns/Kilwinning/Shooting%20the%20Papingo.htm |title="Biggar, 1978" |work=Joan Biggar, Shooting the Papingo, originally published in The Scots Magazine | year=1978 |accessdate=2007-02-07 |format=HTML

*cite web |url=http://www.sportfocus.com/reguser/dynabizinfo/download.cfm?number=2908 |title="GNAS Rules of Shooting 2006" |accessdate=2007-02-07 |format=PDF

External links

* [http://www.belgianhall.ca/archery/index.php Delhi Belgian Archery Clubs]
* [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/11281/11281-h/11281-h.htm Mirror of Literature, includes article "Shooting of the Popinjay"]
* [http://www.kilwinning.org/sport/archery.htm The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers]