03/09/2026
The popping jay! This target comes in many forms.
a variarion which is the ottoman horseback archery discipline which is known as Qabaq (also spelled Kabak or Kabaq).
Originating as a traditional military and sport discipline, it challenges the rider's timing, vertical accuracy, and flexibility from the saddle.
How the Qabaq Discipline Works:
The Target & Pole: A small target—historically a hollow gourd, but in modern competitions usually a wooden or foam disc is placed at the very top of a tall pole ranging from 7 to 8 meters (23–26 feet) high. The pole is often integrated with or designed to look like a flagpole.
The Technique:
As the horse runs at a full gallop past the base of the pole, the archer must swiftly twist backwards or lean in the saddle, aim almost completely vertically upward, and release the arrow.
The Arrow:
Historically, and in many traditional regulations, archers use a blunt arrow (often fitted with a heavy wooden or brass tip) rather than a sharp point to safely strike and knock or ring the target.
In england, the popinjay target (traditionally called the papingo in Scotland) has a rich, 500-year history in the UK, Medieval Military Beginnings (15th Century)The tradition of shooting at a popinjay target began as part of mandatory medieval military readiness.
The "Wapenschaw":
Under Scottish kings like James III, every parish was legally required to hold regular weapon showings (wapenschaws) and tactical training.
Sunday Practice:
Young men were expected to train in archery immediately following Sunday church services. To hone precision and vertical shooting angles, they began aiming at targets fixed high above them on church and abbey towers.
The Live Bird Era:
In its earliest, most brutal medieval iterations, a live bird was chained to the top of a pole. Archers used sharp, steel-tipped war arrows to shoot it down
The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers (1483–Present) The epicenter of popinjay history in the UK is Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Founded in 1483, The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers is widely recognized as one of the oldest archery clubs in the world. The Target Evolution, As the sport transitioned from a lethal military drill into a festive competition, the live bird was replaced by a carved wooden bird—traditionally a pigeon or "doo".
The Setup: The wooden bird is mounted onto a pole extending about 10 feet out from the clock tower of Kilwinning Abbey, suspended at a staggering height of 116 feet (approx. 35 meters).
Safety Protocols:
To prevent destroying the historic abbey tower, modern archers shoot from the base of the tower using traditional longbows and blunted arrows (originally wooden, now often rubber-tipped). The pockmarked historic tombstones in the surrounding kirkyard still bear the scars of centuries of falling arrows representing the oldest recorded archery tournament format in British history.
