At the national archery competition of the 2,229th anniversary of the Founding of the State, the 814th anniversary of the Great Mongol State, and the 99th anniversary of the People’s Revolution, D.Demberelsaikhan, a resident from Erdenekhairkhan soum of Zavkhan Province, hit 38 out of 40 arrows and was awarded the prestigious title of National Master Archer of Mongolia. Previously, at the 2016 Naadam festival, he had tied in score with B.Yondon, a National Master Archer and son of his archery mentor and outstanding archer, state honoree Kh.Baasankhuu, and won by shooting the “tovkh” (focused on hitting a small circular target with precision) arrow first, thereby meeting the qualification requirements for the National Master Archer title. That year, he was the new master archer who excited the audience so much they were on their feet, cheering. Having successfully tried his skill with the golden arrow of archery, he brings great pride to his local people. We had a conversation with him.

The days of the Naadam festival, celebrated joyfully by the nation, are approaching soon. Wrestlers, horse trainers, and archers are about to start their preparations.

The greatest festival awaited by the Mongolian people is the “Three Manly Games” (wrestling, horse racing, and archery). At the “Khangarid” club in Orkhon Province, there are many state-titled master archers. Together with them, we unite as one and train near the “Tsuurai Am” area close to the military training base. Our organization's leadership and team support the archers, paying special attention to their preparations for the Naadam. Currently, we are competing and testing our skills at the men’s team national archery championship, which we have been organizing for the 10th year.

You won first place and were awarded the title of National Master Archer. Could you share your memories of that time, which might be interesting for Naadam attendees?

On the morning of Naadam, I came to the archery field with the hopeful thought that I would at least make it to the top eight archers. While the spectators get excited watching archers testing their skills with the golden arrows, for us archers it is very tough mentally. Archery is strongly connected to mindset. For me, only after shooting my first four arrows do I begin to feel calm. That year, when we started preparations, national master archery coach and honored athlete Sh.Davaakhuu analyzed the archers and said, “This year, the archer who hits 38 arrows is highly likely to win.” By the grace of my coach’s words, I hit 38 arrows and earned the title of National Master Archer of Mongolia.

At the 2016 Naadam, you competed in the final for first place by shooting the “tovkh” arrow against National Master B.Yondon. I remember the massive crowd fell silent, holding their breath.

One day while training, coach Sh.Davaakhuu and elder Z.Suldbold said to me, “Your training this year is good. You will definitely have a medal at the Naadam archery competition.” I had never won first place even at the provincial Naadam, but following my seniors in the workshop, I participated in the national Naadam archery competition and won. I was selected among the top eight archers on the field and never imagined I would shoot the “tovkh” arrow for first place. Because I never expected to achieve high results, I was very nervous. To be honest, at that time I thought that if I didn’t win first place, at least I could become a distinguished master archer. When elder Z.Suldbold said, “If you miss your ‘tovkh’ shot, you will be second, but if you hit it, you will win,” he added, “Yes, you will shoot ‘tovkh’ with your friend,” and that was that.

I heard that Mongolia’s outstanding Master Archer Kh.Baasankhuu was the first to teach you the art of national archery. He is also the father of B.Yondon, the Master Archer you competed against in the final “tovkh” shot. It must have been hard for him to watch you two competing.

If his son won, he would receive the National Master Archer title, and if his disciple placed first, he would earn the Master Archer title of Mongolia. Just before the “tovkh” shot, my coach said to me, “It doesn’t matter to me who of you two wins, but I won’t be able to watch the “tovkh” shot,” and got up from the spectator seats. In national archery, archers shoot in order based on their rank. B.Yondon shot first but overshot his arrow. When I hit, the huge crowd cheered, “A new master archer is born!” For me, the fact that I had practiced shooting the “tovkh” arrow a lot before the festival made a big difference. I believe I followed the advice of my coach and the assignments given by the elders. My friend later won the following year’s Naadam, earning the title of National Master Archer and brought joy to the people of Orkhon and Zavkhan provinces. In an interview with the press, he recalled correcting the mistake he made during the “tovkh” shot at the previous Naadam and winning first place. Besides me, Zavkhan Province has several nationally titled master archers such as State Honored Athlete Sh.Davaakhuu, National Master Archers B.Yondon, D.Erdenetuya, and Z.Suldbold. For example, D.Erdenetuya is a hereditary archer whose mother, S.Dolgormaa, holds the National Master Archer title.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane through your years as a disciple of master archer Kh.Baasankhuu, drawing your bow and releasing your arrows.

I began practicing national archery in 2011. From 2009 to 2011, in collaboration with the “Erdenet Mining Corporation” LLC and the “Khangarid” club, a physical education and fitness project was implemented aiming to improve the physical health of employees, offering training in 15 sports, one of which was national archery. Since I could not train horses or wrestle due to age, choosing archery was a wise decision for me. 15 young men from the water supply workshop participated in the project, and I was the youngest among them. We took turns practicing with three training bows and 15 arrows. After six months of training, I realized that learning without owning my own bow and arrows was difficult, and I often thought about quitting. When I told J.Munkhbaatar, a National Master Archer and my senior colleague from Uliastai soum of Zavkhan Province, he said, “You’re young, don’t talk nonsense. Soon you will have your own bow and arrows.” Four of us continued training, three of whom were from the water supply workshop. Since then, we have remained close friends and attend competitions together wherever they are held.

So it was your senior in the workshop who brought you back to national sport?

Yes. When bows and equipment were scarce, my coach arranged for me to have a bow made by the famous National Master Archer and Bow Craftsman J.Battumur from Umnugovi Province, who is well-known across Mongolia. I returned to national archery with that bow. In the 2016 Naadam, I competed using that bow and earned the National Master Archer title. In 2020, I tested my skills with a bow crafted by a young artisan nicknamed “Khuurug Baaska”, who is skilled not only in making bows but also in carving stone. When my friend earned the National Master Archer title, I was happy for him and gifted him the bow he made. I greatly treasure the fact that I won the National Master Archer title shooting with that bow.

Archers often say that having a good bow greatly affects their success. It’s not just talk, is it?

A bow indeed plays a significant role in an archer’s success. Before the 2020 Naadam, I trained three times shooting outdoors and performed quite well. Previously, at competitions in Orkhon Province and during training, I scored 37 out of 40 arrows, but when I came to Ulaanbaatar for the National Championship, I only scored 27. I wondered whether it was the bow or me. Archers analyze their scores by looking at the scoreboard, and I realized I had missed many arrows due to equipment issues. Before that, I had won first place at the VI All People’s Great Naadam with 39 hits in the “chain shooting” event. Since then, I thought shooting outdoors with this bow might be good. That year, my training was not better than before, so a few days before Naadam, I had special training sessions with coach Sh.Davaakhuu, and my shooting started to improve. When I heard the decision to hold the Naadam at the “XIII Century” complex outdoors, I thought, “Let’s show the power of my bow now.” Considering I have been practicing this sport for 35 years, my years of experience are still fewer compared to many other archers.

Is it true that in national archery, it’s considered unlucky to confidently declare that you will win?

Yes, it is. The Mongolian bow is crafted from natural materials—horn, sinew from small livestock, and birch wood. Since ancient times, the bow and arrow have been part of Mongol military weaponry. Today, they have developed into a sport. Archers, therefore, strictly follow safety protocols and strive to shoot without error. There have been cases where archers working near the target have been injured due to missed arrows. This is why it's crucial to follow safety guidelines thoroughly. Shooting at the golden target during the State Naadam is as thrilling as it is intimidating. During the “Mergen” round, the circular target seen among the many archers looks quite small. Thinking of safety, we hope to shoot without hitting other archers. In addition to paying attention to rain, dust, and weather, we must carefully calculate wind direction when releasing our arrows.

At Naadam, many foreign tourists watch the archery with great interest. They often ask the locals about the meaning of “Merge Uy”, “Shil Merge”, and “Noyon Baatar Harvaa”. Could you explain these terms?

National archery requires a great deal of intuition. It’s part of Mongolia’s intangible cultural heritage passed down through generations. When I had just started archery and participated in a few national Naadam competitions, foreigners were already showing a lot of interest in our archery. Nowadays, young people understand the sport much better, and more of them are taking it up each year.
In the “Merge Uy” round, the most skilled and highly ranked archers begin. Then comes the “Shil Merge” round, where high-ranking female archers shoot based on their rank. The “Noyon Baatar” round follows, featuring archers with provincial or sports master titles. Lastly, the “Shuvtarga Merge” round is for archers without official titles.
Mongolian heritage, traditions, and nomadic life are inseparable from wrestling, horse racing, and archery. People count the days all year just to witness the Three Manly Games at Naadam. Wrestling and horse racing are better understood because the unique features and spirit of these sports are explained well. I believe national archery will also soon have more spectators, just like other sports.

Would you say that your years of experience taught you that true success comes from overcoming yourself?

Yes. A Mongolian bow softens in heat and hardens in the cold. A hard bow shoots arrows straight, while a softer bow causes them to rise more, making them more susceptible to wind. All of this must be calculated carefully from the moment you draw the bow to when you release the arrow.
Every archer has their own method. I calculate and release within seven seconds. Bows and arrows vary in weight. My bow weighs 27 to 29.5 kg. Each shot requires strength equivalent to lifting 30 to 35 kilograms. So, national archery demands endurance, strength, and even a sixth sense.

You must have many students by now.

Because of my busy work schedule, I don’t always have time to help develop archery in my home province. However, local youths who are interested in the sport train under the guidance of B.Yondon and D.Erdenetuya, both titled archers. In 2017 and 2018, B.Yondon initiated a program called “1,000 Archers of Zavkhan,” which introduced over 800 people to archery.
Archers often say, “Training a student is like splitting your own archery into two.” I’m very interested in training students myself, but my coaches advised, “Focus on improving your own results first. You’ll have plenty of time to become a teacher. When the time is right, take on students.”
There’s a saying, if you keep it in mind, it will happen. Following my coaches’ advice, I’m currently focusing on achieving more success. In national archery, your strongest competitor is yourself. You must overcome yourself to succeed. I am grateful to have reached this point thanks to the encouragement and support of so many people. Age is no barrier in this sport. I hope to continue drawing my bow at the golden target and bring joy to festival-goers for many years to come.

People often say that being the “support behind the archer” is no easy task. I assume your family has played a significant role in your success.

My wife’s support is inseparable from my achievements. I’m proud of my family, who has always understood me and provided the conditions I needed to practice consistently. Spouses of archers often take full responsibility for the home while we are away.
Once the warm season begins, we head into training and spend little time at home during the summer months. During my absences, my wife learned to manage everything on her own. By the time school resumes in autumn, I finally return home after a long stretch of competitions, festivals, and celebrations.
My children are still a bit young to take up archery, but they are getting interested. My wife works as a nurse at the Regional Diagnosis and Treatment Center. Archers’ children often carry on the tradition—after helping carry their parents’ arrows on the field, they naturally become drawn to the sport. Lastly, I would like to thank the management of “Erdenet Mining Corporation” LLC, the Water Supply Workshop, the Wastewater Treatment Section, the “Khangarid” club, the people of Zavkhan Province, my parents, family, relatives, and all my friends who support me and wish me success.

May the bows of the skilled archers drawn at the golden field of national archery be powerful, their arrows accurate, their aim sharp, and their cheer resounding!

By D.CHANTSALMAA