Yet more trophies were up for grabs at Greeba as the Records Officer looked to tick one more box off the shooting calendar before the end of the season. The trophies in question were the Gents York (100/80/60), the Ladies Hereford (80/60/50), the Bristol I Open (80/60/50) and the Junior Bristol Plate (distances according to age group). The rounds were measured in yards, with a six dozen arrows being shot at the first distance, four dozen at the second and two dozen at the third. Being National rounds, the scoring is done using the 5 Zone system ie. 9/7/5/3/1 only. Those Club members who could only shoot for half the day shot a National Round comprising 6 dozen arrows shot in a 4:2 split for which Senior and Junior Trophies were available.
The skies were overcast, and a few drops of rain were falling as the field was set up on Sunday. The wind was gusting in an unhelpful way and no-one really seemed to be in the mood. The tedium of spending all morning shooting at a single, very long, distance tends to cast a gloom over the proceedings and the round is largely viewed as something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
It was a simple head to head between Pete Mumford and Rhys Moore for the Gents Compound Trophy. Rhys was looking for revenge for his loss in the Windsor Trophy of the week before. Pete was looking to enjoy another relaxed shoot but handicapped himself by injuring his hand setting up the tripod for his scope. Both started reasonably well but Rhys handled the conditions and the extra exertion better (an archer does a lot of walking when competing in a York round – 200 yards every 6 arrows = 1.36 miles just to complete the first distance) and he had a 64 point lead by half way. Rhys added another 42 points at the second distance which put him so far ahead he could have packed up 12 arrows from the end and still lifted the Trophy.
Danny Cowin finally managed to muster enough energy to turn up and shoot, or to put it another way, the Records Officer kicked his front door in and dragged him to the field having become bored with his excuses. Danny had not shot for three weeks, had no sight marks for yards and looked like he was going to the guillotine. His opponent, Alex Allen-Snell, fresh-faced if not exactly keen, had practiced and not only had sight marks but a lovely new set of stabilizers as well. It was not surprising then that Alex found himself 37 points ahead after four dozen arrows, helped a little by the misses from Danny which had been slow in coming but were starting to mount up. At this point the shoot was interrupted to allow Ralf Mitchell, shooting a Long National (80 & 60y), to move his boss forward to complete his round and make a pig’s ear of his scoresheet in the process. Not only did Ralf wander over two score sheets but he also used 10 zone scoring instead of the 5 zone he had been told, came up with a total of 10 after adding 6 + 6, and stated he had 0 Golds when in fact he had 9 of the little blighters. Amazingly he still gets a Trophy! The break allowed Danny to recover while Alex seemed to lose focus. A couple of misses from Alex, a run of form for Danny and there was suddenly only 1 point in it. Danny must have had his spinach at lunchtime as he out shot Alex at 80y to turn the deficit into a 30 point lead. Not one to give up, Alex responded with his best arrows of the day at 60y but it was not quite enough to prevent from Danny regaining the York Trophy.
Joy Gough, James Hill and Barbara Harris shared a boss though they were all competing for different Trophies. Neither Joy nor Barbara were on form and the best that could be said of their performance was that none of their arrows missed. Joy lifted the Hereford Compound Trophy for the first time, while Barbara took the Recurve version for the third year in a row. James Hill shot the Bristol I for the first time to lift the inaugural Trophy.
Nathan Kinrade and Tilly Ashton battled it out for the Bristol Plate. Both were shooting the Bristol II (60/50/40y) round for the first time but it was Nathan who had the best of it leading from start to finish to take the title. Meanwhile, Ollie Blockley thoroughly enjoyed herself shooting the Short Junior National (30 &20y) for the first time to pocket another Trophy.
Results York Trophy: Compound- 1.R.Moore 144/1190/94, 2.P.Mumford 144/1076/59. Recurve- 1.D.Cowin 139/815/32, 2.A.Allen-Snell 140/810/24. Hereford Trophy: Compound- J.Gough 144/1134/74. Recurve- B.Harris 144/968/39. Bristol I- J.Hill 141/937/34pb. Junior Bristol Plate- 1.N.Kinrade 143/991/41pb, 2.T.Ashton 144/942/35pb. National Trophy- R.Mitchell 62/330/9pb. Junior National Trophy- O.Blockley 72/545/27pb.
Isle of Man Archery Club 