For once the micro-climate that exists at Greeba field worked in the archers’ favour on Sunday. Protected from the strong southerly winds and with only one short, sharp shock of a shower at 11am, the small number who turned up were able to enjoy the WA 900 round scheduled for them by the kindly Records Officer. The WA 900 comprises of 30 arrows shot at each of three distances: 60, 50 and 40m on large target faces.
Only seven archers turned up to shoot, but what they lacked in numbers they made up for in errors. It was Joy Gough’s turn to ‘do a Mumford’ and shoot one arrow too many, which she did on the very first scoring end. Both Alex Allen-Snell and Barbara Harris forgot their scoreboards on the way to the target but fortunately remembered before they crossed the shooting line and so technically avoided ‘the walk of shame’. Harris also put the wrong sight mark on for 50m but adjusted it in time after a nagging doubt made her double check what she had dialled into her sight block. Pete Mumford spent so much time telling everyone else to make sure to change their sight marks for the next distance that he forgot to do it himself. Young Ollie Blockley managed to get herself wedged into her camping chair, an act of karmic reprisal after she had spent the morning tormenting Pete Mumford. In between these antics, some archery was perpetrated.
Everyone had their own agenda on Sunday. Pete Mumford was trying to overcome the aiming difficulties that had manifested themselves during lockdown. Joy Gough just wanted to get through the shoot. Barbara Harris was ignoring scores for once and just concentrating on getting the ‘feel’ of the bow back. Alex Allen Snell, shooting on the same boss as Pete Mumford, set himself the task of keeping up with the elderly compound shooter. Peter Howland was trying to keep all of his arrows on target and Dave Moore was intending to win.
In the Gents Compound division Dave Moore happily crushed his opposition, Pete Mumford, in spite of collapsing on a shot and sending an arrow into the 3. Lone Lady Compound Joy Gough was not happy with her score which was some 50 points off the Club Record she set last season. However, she made it to the end of the shoot without feeling exhausted which was an improvement on the last two weeks.
Alex Allen-Snell concentrated all his efforts on keeping up with boss partner Pete Mumford. The tactic worked and Alex not only took an easy win over Peter Howland but added an impressive 96 points to his pb for the round. Peter Howland had the consolation a personal best score having never shot the round before.
Barbara Harris was happy with her progress over the morning as her shooting became fluid and less mechanical. She ended up with exactly the same score that she shot last season.
Ollie Blockley, the only Junior on the day, shot an age adjusted WA 900 over distances of 50, 40 and 30m. An equipment failure cost her a few points, but she set a decent benchmark score for her first attempt at the round.
All in all it was a relaxed and enjoyable day’s shoot.
Results WA 900: Gents Compound- 1.D.Moore 90/838/47/17, 2.P.Mumford 90/798/28/10. Ladies Compound -J.Gough 90/772/17/5. Gents Recurve- 1.A.Allen-Snell 90/772/24/14pb, 2.P.Howland 82/513/9/2pb. Ladies Recurve- B.Harris 90/726/16/3. Jnr 900- O.Blockley 90/629/7/0pb
Isle of Man Archery Club 