The US Ranking sheet in Mounted Archery

Go Leo!! submitted by Connie Claire

A Marchador made it into the record books Mounted Archery in the US! Connie Claire competing with her Marchador gelding Leo (aka DaVinci do Summerwind) is ranked 7th in the U.S.

On the Hunt course, they excel – just seconds behind Elizabeth Tinnan, the US #1. Connie’s time is the third fastest ever recorded in this event!

“The coolest thing to me is we make the record book!!!! You know how I told you Leo is super good at the hunt? Well, we have the 3rd highest score ever in the US!!! I’m serious, he is so smart. He’s like, “I got this mom” and he does all the work and takes me around exactly where I asked when we did our walkthrough!!! He is AMAZING!!! He truly is a team player!!!!! “

Connie has worked hard to achieve her goals and she always credits Leo and the partnership they have. In past years rankings they were ranked #34, but have steadily moved up. In 2023, Connie was named to the US team to compete in Mongolia (using a borrowed horse, not Leo).

Connie and her husband Doren own, operate, teach and run events at their facility Archer’s Point, Dunellon, Florida. Connie owns 2 other MMs, Dragao Vista da Serra and Hallelujah do Saint Horse, both younger and hopefuls to follow in Leo’s footsteps.

 The hunt course is an open field course!

Here are some other types of mounted archery courses:

• Sport track A traditional course with barriers that guide the horse in a straight line. This allows the archer to focus on accuracy and speed. 
• Field archery An open field course where the rider must steer the horse using their legs and body weight. This requires expert horsemanship. 
• Cross-country A course where targets are revealed as the archer passes trees. The archer must shoot quickly and accurately while also considering what the horse is doing. 

Mounted archery was a basic survival skill for many groups throughout history, and was used for hunting, protecting herds, and in war. 

For more information, visit the Mounted Archery Association website.