Competition gave way to the Annual Coaching Weekend at Onchan. Run over two days, the Club plays host to international coaches Tony Drabble and Clive Jeacock who fly into the island to dispense their invaluable knowledge on both technique and equipment.
As well as chance to improve, have bows checked and tweaked, and get advice on arrows and other hardware, the weekend provides an opportunity for the Club to socialise an includes a Bake off and presentation of prizes from the Outdoor season. There was a splendid array of homemade cakes in the Bake off and once again Glasgow’s answer to Heston Blumenthal, Ralf Mitchell, produced an offering that everyone marvelled at but few had the courage to try. This year it was a parsnip cake covered in icing, a splat of parsnip puree and decorated with golden balls and wedges of raw parsnip! Ralf had thoughtfully baked three olives into the mixture and anyone ‘lucky’ enough to find one won a chocolate lollipop. It came resoundingly last in a hard-fought competition which was won by Pete Mumford’s excellent Chocolate Tiffin.
Saturday saw the unveiling of the Club’s latest trophy – The Roger Brown Memorial Trophy. The specially commissioned trophy was designed by junior club member Katherine Harris in consultation with the Club’s Chairman David Moore and Secretary Barbara Harris and brilliantly executed by the genius at Island Iron Craft. It is a fitting tribute to a much loved and sadly missed Club mate. Roger’s widow Mary kindly came along as a special guest to meet everyone, be given a guide to all the bow types and present the Trophy to the first winner – David Moore. It was lovely to meet her and it is hoped Mary will be able to come and watch the round devised in honour of her husband when it is shot later this year at Greeba.
The rest of the Outdoor trophies were presented on the Sunday by Clive Jeacock and saw junior Erin Hainge walk of the largest haul.
The weekend was very successful, with a large turnout of archers over both days taking advantage of one to one coaching from Clive and Tony who were celebrating their 19th year of visits to the island. Long may it continue.
Isle of Man Archery Club 