Meet the Qatari sportsman reviving the ancient tradition of horse archery

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Horseback archery stands out among the many equestrian disciplines that combine modern riding techniques and ancient tradition. The sport combines the skill of riding with the precision of archery, and it holds a special place in Arabian heritage.

Archery is difficult enough when stationary, but try doing it while riding a horse travelling more than 30 miles per hour. Qatari horseback archery gold medalist, Bader Mubarak Al Marri, is well accustomed to this.

Bader took six lessons of horseback riding before giving it up. "What kept me from horseback riding in 2018 was a lack of time, an unfavourable atmosphere and the scarcity of people in the field," Bader explains.

Bader's surprising journey to becoming a champion began when he received a surprise call from Fuad Almudahka, the founder of the Equestrian Sport Centre in Qatar.

The life-changing phone call happened in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bader found himself at home with a lot of spare time on his hands at this time, so he decided to take up Fuad's offer.

"Coach Fuad contacted me saying, 'Bader, I have workshops in horseback archery. If you'd like to take part, we welcome you at the Horseback Archery Equestrian Centre,'" Bader recalls.

After completing Fuad's workshop, Bader wanted to enter Qatar's 'Al Nashab' crossbow event. Coach Fuad was against it and advised him to develop his riding skills first.

Undeterred, Bader converted Fuad's feedback into inspiration and vowed to do his best to improve his skills. "Let me train these two