Roland Picard, a pioneer of archery in the Atlantic, dies at 89

The archery world mourns one of its most important members in Atlantic Canada. Roland Picard died after a short illness at the age of 89, in Edmundston.

Monsieur Picard was a pioneer in the development of archery in the region. He founded the Edmundston Archers Club 62 years ago, the first of its kind in the Atlantic provinces. He also influenced several athletes who achieved success in the sport.

He was a founder, organizer and enthusiastdeclares one of his sons, Jules Picard. It all started with him. It’s a page that is turning.

It always hurts to see a character like him leave usadds Hermel Volpé, who has won the Canadian archery championship six times. He was the father of the Edmundston archers.

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Hermel Volpé even said to himself that, if the club had not been founded in Edmundston, he would never have touched this sport and would not have experienced as much success on the national and provincial scenes. His achievements are recognized internationally and he was elected to the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame.

I was coming back from a work accident and from competition, I didn’t want to do it. I was a former Olympic wrestler and I just wanted to have fun. Mr. Picard told me: you are strong, young man, I would like to have your arms because I would compete. Well, I don’t think it fell on deaf ears.

The last time I saw Mr. Picard, he was shooting from a bow, again, in a competition!adds Mr. Volpé. He was a determined and passionate person.

A stroke of chance that hits the target

Roland Picard fell in love with archery in 1956. A professional photographer, he exchanged photographic equipment for a bow and arrows brought to his studio by a client.

It’s love at first sight!

Then he liked it and founded the Archers Club in 1959recalls Jules Picard. This passion was passed down from father to son, as Jules served as president of the organization for four years.

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He is an innovatoralso underlines Mr. Volpé. We owe him a label for clothing during competitions, for example. He wanted a noble sport.

When new people joined the club, his experience on how to adjust equipment and training benefited the young people.

A sportsman and a hunter

He launched the competitive sport, but he also campaigned with the government to have an archery hunting season in New Brunswick. He had created shooting tournaments on Styrofoam animal targetssays Mr. Volpé.

Moreover, during a report on the Sport Mag program, on Radio-Canada Acadie, in 1982, Roland Picard declared to journalist Yvon Michaud that bow hunting replaced rifle hunting.

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I like the bow best for partridge and deer. I’m there!he confides to the veteran journalist. It’s more difficult, but you have personal satisfaction after succeeding. And there is no noise pollution. It’s not leading the way.

Handcrafted bows

Roland Picard remained on the lookout for new developments in the sport, including bows and arrows.

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In 1995, his passion led him to start making traditional bows. At first it was only for the region heresays Jules Picard, who took over from his father in this company called Arcs Picard Bows. Now he sells them elsewhere in Canada and Europe.

Roland Picard lived his passion to the fullest. It is even said that he was still giving archery demonstrations at his residence for the elderly, a few months before his death.

His funeral will only be celebrated next July to allow his large family and friends to gather to pay their last respects.