Oud Limburgs Schuttersfeest

The Oud Limburgs Schuttersfeest (abbreviated as OLS, literally translated Old Limburgian Shooters' Festival) is an annual shooting tournament during which shooting associations (Dutch: schutterijen; Limburgian: sjötterie) from across the region of Limburg, nowadays split in a Dutch and Belgian part, compete against each other.  The winner organizes the event the following year and takes home "De Um", the highest prize for a shooter (schutter). 

Each schutterij, or shooting association participates in the tournament with 6 members.  Utilising an approximately 15 kg.  carbine, with self-made bullets of lead, participants are required to shoot square blocks (called bölkes) from a stick.  This is to be executed across 20 meter of distance. 

Ten "schutter" unions unite approximately 170 schutterij guilds, with a total of approximately 10,000 members in the Netherlands and Belgium. 

The OLS is recognised and protected as Intangible cultural heritage of Flanders and the Netherlands. 

References

 website of the Oud Limburgse Schuttersfederatie 
 List of Schutterijen

Category:Historical reenactment groups
Category:Limburgian culture
Category:Culture of Limburg (Netherlands)
Category:Shooting sports in the Netherlands
Category:Articles containing video clips