Issue: February 1997 Artist: A. Berg Size: 20mm x 25.7mm Plate #: 303 Sheet of 50 stamps Tabs: 10 Printers: Government Printers Printing Method: Photogravure

In later periods, the horse was used in the Near East -- Turkey and Greece. The earliest horse guide and training manual was written in Greek by Xenophon, and the majority of the text is still valid.

Horses were used for transport, agriculture, and as a swift means of communication between government institutions throughout the vast Persian kingdom. At the same time, the horse was trained for war. Both Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan used horses.

The Spaniards brought the horse to the American continent on their ships and taught the local Indians how to use it. Different breeds of horses were developed in different regions, each according the local population's specific needs. Most of the breeds were developed from the Arabian horse, known for its swiftness, temperament, intelligence and endurance. In Europe during the Middle Ages, breeds of large horses were developed so that they could carry knights in armour. These are still the major breeds currently being developed for the sport of horseback riding.

Horseback riding covers several areas:

• show-jumping (an Olympic sport)
• dressage (an Olympic sport)
• horse-racing
• steeple-chasing
• trotting (harness racing)
• cross-country events (an Olympic sport)
• vaulting
• marathons (40-160 km, sometimes longer)
• western riding, including style, skill, and swiftness categories
• competitions in war categories, such as tent pegging
• polo (team sport)
• riding for all (nature trips on horseback)

Recently, horseback riding has also been implemented as an extremely efficient therapy for the disabled.

There are over 10,000 horses and about 30,000 riders in Israel, and the Israel Equestrian Federation holds about 100 professional competitions in the various categories throughout the year.

Archery

Issue: February 1997 Artist: A. Berg Size: 20mm x 25.7mm Plate #: 304 Sheet of 50 stamps Tabs: 10 Printers: Government Printers Printing Method: Photogravure

The ancient Egyptians were famous archers and the bow was their major instrument of war. The Egyptian bow was slightly shorter than the average man, and the arrows measured between 60 and 80 centimeters long. Their arrowheads were generally made of bronze, although they also used flint. During the same period, the Israelites also used bows made of wood, rushes or horn for both war and pursuit.

In ancient times, archery reached its apex in Asia. Most Asian peoples were considered excellent archers, with Atilla the Hun and Genghis Khan the most famous of them.

During the Crusader period, the crossbow was developed, with a metal string and butt similar to that later used on guns. The crossbow, however, suffered from a limited range and reloading problems.

The use of the longbow probably began later, in England after 1066. The length of the longbow equalled the average man's height. It was capable of shooting an arrow up to a distance of 250 meters. The longbow was actually responsible for the demise of armoured knights, since arrows shot from this weapon pierced armour.

The bow has greatly influenced the outcome of many battles throughout history.

With the introduction of firearms, however, the bow declined in value. King Henry VIII of England established groups of archers who practised archery as a sport. The first recorded sporting competition, attended by 3,000 people, was held in Finsbury in 1583. Today, the bow serves as an instrument in the sport of archery. It has been a recognized Olympic event since the 1900 Paris games.

During the first stage of the competition, each contestant shoots 144 arrows. Men shoot from ranges of 90, 70, 50 and 30 meters, while women shoot from 70, 60, 50 and 30 meters (36 arrows per distance).

The 24 best archers move on to the second stage of the competition and shoot 36 arrows (9 per distance). The 18 archers with the best scores advance to the quarter finals and shoot 36 more arrows. Twelve of them advance to the semi-finals, and eight reach the finals.

The scores are not incremental and competition is separate during each stage. In the semi-final and final stages, the arrows are shot in opposite order, from the shortest distance to the longest.

The bow that appears on the stamp is the Olympic bow, the most widely used sporting bow in Israel.

Sport Stamps
(booklet of stamps for regular local letters)

Issue: February 1997
Artist: A. Berg