Popinjay (sport)

Popinjay or Papingo (signifying a painted bird), also called pole archery, 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 a high pole is called "Vogelschießen" (that is "bird shooting"). These are carried out either with small bore rifles or crossbows.

The archery form of popinjay dates back to at least the fifteenth century. The annual papingo (popinjay) tournament of the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers, of Ayrshire in Scotland, takes place at Kilwinning Abbey, with the papingo target suspended from a pole projecting from the clock tower. The event is believed to have been running since 1488, though the earliest records are attested in a minute of the society dated September 1688. In a tradition dating back to 1488 when the Benn was a multicoloured length of Persian taffeta three quarters of an ell broad and 3 ells long, the winner is awarded the Captain's Benn, a scarlet ribbon worn over the shoulder and across the chest, and buys a round of drinks. The prize of a silver arrow was introduced in 1724, and following that became a perpetual trophy, with a medallion attached each year by the winner commemorating his name and date of victory. It is officially known as the "Papingo Arrow".

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.

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 (27 m) 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)

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