Future junior bow trade format - please discuss

[stuckinthemud]

So, the 2025 junior bow trade is about to wrap up and will have taken nearly a year start to finish.  This is not a bad thing, the junior trade was set up to be an easy going, no pressure learning experience, giving all the participants the best chance to build/ push themselves/experiment with new techniques.  I always run on the ohana principal - no-one dispatches until everyone is done, which means there's no need for an emergency bow when someone has to pull out - life gets difficult sometimes and things can derail the process, even for the admin...Anyway, what do you all think about the format for this year's junior trade, I would welcome feedback before I launch the 2026 trade. Come one, come all, please, past participants future participants, interested observers, let me know.
Andrew

[Jim Davis]

I'd like to see a sticky outlining the guidelines/standards to be met: size? weight? trade principle?

I didn't look into the idea till last fall and couldn't find a single thing about it other than reports of progress or lack  thereof...

[Robert Pougnier]

I'd like to participate for 2026, and would also love some more info on format etc....

How does this work? It seems like a fun trade, are there other similar trades? Is there a "senior" or regular one too?

[superdav95]

I’ll let sleek answer your question Robert but as for the regular bow trade I participated in last few and they were run by kidder.  Not sure if they are a thing or not still.  I myself enjoyed them even though there were some hiccups as was always the case I think.  As for me I would be willing to participate in another if started up again.  The last one I recall was 2024-2025. 

[stuckinthemud]

I think a sticky is a great idea.

I set up the junior trade to give an opportunity for novice builders to join in a trade as a stepping stone to the main trade.  It was clear that people were insecure about going straight in to the PA Trade as they felt, rightly or wrongly, that they weren't good/experienced enough.  Fortunately some amazing builders joined the junior trade for a variety of reasons and some novices received both technical advice and a great bow from these generous souls. Amazing.  The junior trade is entirely about encouraging and developing skills and confidence. About mutual support.  Nobody ships until everyone finishes, regardless of how long that takes.  The only criteria is you build the best bow you can AT THE TIME. We all accept it's the best you can do.  You may be on bow number three, or bow 303, but we remember what our third how was like and the support we would have liked to have received and value the bow we get as a friend 's best effort.

[stuckinthemud]

The format is: participants sign up with draw weight, draw length, and hand (left or right).  That's it, style timber, bow length are all up to the builder.  Let's face it, we can all build a bow for ourselves, so this is a surprise gift from a friend.  Everyone gets a random person to build for exactly like in a Secret Santa - it's a circle not a partnership.  When everyone finishes (or withdraws) everyone ships together.  This means that should someone suffer a disaster and withdraw, we can adjust the trade and there's no needfor anyone to build a spare emergency bow. 

[Robert Pougnier]

I think that sounds like a great idea and I like the format!