Barbarossa's challenge

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to shoot at the most beautiful castle in a darling little town. If I can find the name, I'll be sure to put it on here somewhere. The Lucaronis were kind enough to give me a ride, which was great. We left at about one and wherever we went was a bit over an hour away.

The competition was supposed to start at two thirty, so we started promptly at three-fifteen. It was twelve-target course so it was fairly short and we had finished by five. Most of the targets were animals, which I'm usually quite bad at, but I was surprised and pleased at how well I managed to do. I even managed to get full points twice (actually I'm fairly certain that this is the first time that I've managed to do that. I could be forgetting but I'm not sure. I only count it if it's three bull's-eyes). I also managed to get four points on one of the targets, so it averaged out.

After the competition, we explored town a bit and I hung out with Matilde, the Lucaronis' cousin and Riccardo's daughter. At seven-thirty, we were fed. It was the best food that I had had at a competition, although that isn't saying much. After dinner they had prize giving and the finals (I didn't make it to the finals, so I just had the prize giving, but Matteo was one of the finalists, so he had to finish shooting).

Matteo jokes that he makes it to the finals, but I'm the one who gets the prize. Unfortunately, most of the time it's true, and yesterday was not the exception. I placed first among the women, after a bit of doubt whether I was a girl or not (with 182 points despite the fact that they said that I had gotten 153 points. Either way I won first). So I now have a piece of wood that says I'm awesome.

After the prize giving, they did the finals (it's basically a competition for a flag that says "we have the best team, nana-nana-boo-boo"). We did not win, for the first time in a while, and it was AWESOME. One of the archers on the team that won was crying for joy. The entire team was impressive. One of the finalist's targets was a formation of nine circles in a square; hitting three along the diagonals doubled the score. When one of the men on the winning team managed to shoot the diagonal, everyone started cheering. It was the ONLY time that night that someone managed to do it. After pictures and celebrations, we headed home, at twelve o'clock.

After getting in at one o'clock, this morning's ten-thirty choir rehearsal seemed awfully early. Oh well. That's what happens when you stay out late to do cool things.

Ciao,

Florence 

My score sheet 

Alessio, Pietro, and Riccardo 

Pietro and Riccardo 

The fortress at which we were shooting 

Alessio's piazzola 

part of my piazzola. Stefania is wearing a headband with bells on it. At the beginning of the competition, Matteo gave everybody a headband or bracelet with bells on it. Whoever got the least number of points at each target got extra bells. This is the girl who won the mini competition, but she was shooting badly on purpose because she didn't want to have to stay for the finals.

I found this face highly amusing. I had just severely screwed up a shot.

Me and Matteo shooting 

Simona and Stefano

Group photo (with everyone who was still in their costumes at the end)

The winners of the bell competition 

My piazzola 

Yes, that is St. Sebastian they were shooting at. I was the only one who found that remarkable in any way, shape, form, or fashion.