The sport of Atlatl was the topic of a program presented to the Trenton Rotary Club on Thursday. Debbie Carman was the program chairman.
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Scott Rorebeck and Steve Spencer discussed the sport, which involves a 6- to 7-foot “dart” that is thrown at a large target with a “spear thrower.” Rorebeck said that Atlatl has been around for thousands of years, noting that it was used for hunting purposes prior to the invention of the bow and arrow. Some countries, he said, still use it to hunt water animals, thus the term “water thrower” for Atlatl.
Spencer said that the dart can be made from various materials, with willow and horseweed being among the most common compositions. He said that the “thrower” is also made from different materials, with wood being most common. In addition to a wood thrower, he also displayed one made from antlers.
There is a World Atlatl Association which hosts various competitions, with one to be held in Trenton on the Saturday and Sunday of the Missouri Day Festival. While there will be individuals who are competitive throwers, members of the public are also being invited to try their hand at the sport, which includes throws from distances of 16-feet and 22-feet. Points are collected based on the part of the target that is hit and, according to Rorebeck, a score of 70 and over rates a thrower in the national rankings while women need to have a 60 or higher and youth a score of 40 or higher. Spencer said that there is one thrower who has scored a 98, but a 100 has never been scored.
During the board of directors meeting, it was voted to make a $1,000 donation to the Friends of the Arts to help with the cost of two programs to be presented in the school district.
Next week’s program chairman is Diane Lowrey.