March 8 is International Women's Day.
The archery community is huge and all over the world. Through archery, we continue to meet great people whose inspiring stories make our BEARPAW community even more unique. For International Women's Day, we would like to introduce two strong and young women.
This is Lou
Lou is from Vercors - a mountain range bordered by deep valleys in the far west of the French Alps. There she grew up on a farm, which is where her strong bond with nature and animals comes from. As a ranger and riding instructor, she has turned this attachment into a profession. In addition to archery, Lou has many countless passions, including climbing, horseback riding, hiking, drawing, and photography. She is also now a successful influencer on Instagram as (@louve.vagabonde). Lou describes herself as unpredictable, wild and in her words simply "raw". "Nature comes naturally to me, I grew up with it. My parents taught me that without it we are nothing. A day without nature is a wasted day for me."
Where and when did Lou make her impossible possible?
One of her most impressive outdoor experiences was when she traveled 7,000 km across Canada on foot and hitchhiking. There she experienced incredible and unique encounters with people and animals, which had a huge impact on her development and she will never forget.
How did Lou get into archery?
At the age of ten, Lou received her first bow as a gift from her parents and was fascinated by this sport in nature from the very beginning. The technique and the shooting itself, she learned from her brother. Since then, archery has been an integral part of her life. The sport helps Lou to focus and at the same time provides natural relaxation after a busy day. Archery combines many aspects in her eyes: Strength, calmness and skill. In her everyday life, Lou goes shooting one to three times a week - and, of course, she prefers to do it on her horse.
This is Sophia
Sophia comes from Ingolstadt and is a 2-time kickboxing world champion. She started with the sport at the age of 5. Her motto "Just do it & stay positive" accompanies her through her sports career. Besides school and sports, Sophia is also involved as a young entrepreneur. Through a letter to her dad, "Boxerherz" was born. It quickly became a brand. By selling T-shirts, mugs and much more, the proceeds could be donated to various institutions. "I enjoy helping other children. With the first donation, we supported children who have physical limitations."
How did Sophia get involved with archery?
Together with BEARPAW PRODUCTS, she took a trial course in 2021. What did she enjoy the most? "You see the result directly, when you hit you have a good feeling right away. It spurs you on to get even better with every shot. In archery you need strength in your arms, I can use that well in kickboxing."
Get to know Sophia and her impressive story in our YouTube video.