Welcome to the August report of the 2023/24 shooting season.

In previous years we would now only focus on shooting outdoors, however as we now have access to shoot indoors at the YMCA all year round archers can shoot indoor rounds if the weather prevents outdoor shooting.

Club Records

Once again Club Target days shot during August gave more archers the opportunity to shoot classification rounds. This has resulted in a significant number of improved or new club records being shot. Certificates are in the process of being awarded for the following archers:

• Neill White – 50+ Men’s Longbow
  • WA1440 (ladies) / (Metric I) – Score 741 (previous record 563)
  • WA1440 (ladies) / (Metric I) (Double) – Score 1450 (no previous record)
  • Short Metric/Short Metric I – Score 407 (previous record 144)
  • WA1440 (Gentlemen) – Score 668 (previous record 473)
• Andrew Axworthy – Senior Men’s Recurve
  • Warwick 40 (formerly Junior Warwick) – Score 422 (previous record 370)
• Linda Wright – 50+ Women’s Barebow
  • Short Metric/Short Metric I – Score 364 (no previous record)
• Finley Melia – U16 Mens recurve:
  • Warwick 30 (was Short Junior Warwick) – Score 370 (previous record 352)
• Phil Harley – 50+ Mens Barebow:
  • Metric 122 40m (New round) – Score 545 (no previous record)
  • Warwick 40 (was Junior Warwick) – Score 378 (previous record 374)
  • Short Metric II – Score 435 (no previous record)
• Mic Richards – Senior Womens Barebow:
  • Warwick 40 (was Junior Warwick) – Score 356 (previous record 322)
• Sarah Watson – Senior Womens Recurve:
  • Metric 122-40 (New round) – Score 433 (previous record 429)
• Corey Richardson – U21 Mens Compound:
  • WA1440 (ladies) / Metric I – Score 1203 (no previous record)
• Alex Rowe – Senior Mens Recurve:
  • WA70 – Score 579 (previous record 548)
  • WA70 (Double) – Score 1140 (previous record 1072)
  • WA1440 (Double) – Score 2232 (no previous record)

Classifications

The following Classification levels have been achieved, and badges are in the process of being awarded under the new Archery GB Classification Scheme:

• Neill White (Longbow) – Outdoor Grand Master Bowman. This has been awarded to Neill by Archery GB and was achieved by shooting at an exceptionally high level in external record status competitions. Congratulations to Neill, this is a significant achievement and is the second highest nationally recognised level.
• Alex Rowe (Recurve) – Bowman 1^st Class. Congratulations to Alex, this is the highest classification that can be awarded at club level.
• Corey Richardson (Compound) – Bowman 2^nd Class
• Gary Wong (Compound) – Bowman 2^nd Class
• Gary Wong (Longbow) – Bowman 2^nd Class. Congratulations to Gary, he is the first archer that I have awarded a Bowman level badge for multiple bow styles in the same season.
• Stan Axworthy (Recurve) – Archer 1^st Class
• Finley Melia (Recurve) – Archer 1^st Class
• Sarah Watson (Recurve) – Archer 2^nd Class
• Steve Murray (Recurve) – Archer 2^nd Class
• Tim Tatum (Recurve) – Archer 3^rd Class

More information on indoor and outdoor rounds and classification can be found here, or speak to me on a shooting night. You can start to shoot outdoor classification rounds once you have achieved your 20 yard 252, and start working towards your first Archer Classification.

Progress and 252 Awards

Badges were awarded to the following archers:

252 Awards

• Paul Warren (Compound) – 60yd 252
• Joe Maskell (Barebow) – 50yd & 60yd 252
• Phil Harley (Barebow) – 50yd 252 & 50yd Outdoor AGB Progress
• Phil Lomas (Barebow) – 40yd 252
• Sarah Legg (Recurve) – 20yd & 30yd 252
• Gary Still (Barebow) – 20yd & 30yd 252
• Chris Danson (Recurve) – 20yd & 30yd 252
• Tim Hall (Compound) – 30yd 252
• Robert Earl (Recurve) – 30yd 252
• Mark Armstrong (Recurve) – 30yd 252
• Georgina Baglow (Longbow) – 20yd 252
• Lorelei Armstrong (Recurve) – 20yd 252
• David Legg (Recurve) – 20yd 252

More information on the two progress schemes can be found here, or speak to me at one of our club sessions.

Now that we have moved to indoor shooting during the week there is an opportunity for new archers to start to shoot for Indoor Archery GB Progress awards, please see me at your next session and I will explain.

Competitions

DCAS Summer Postal League 2024

The club has entered the following teams into the DCAS Summer Postal Leagues:

• One Senior Recurve/Barebow Long Warwick team
• One Senior Compound Long Warwick team
• One Senior Longbow Warwick team
• Two Senior Recurve/Barebow Warwick 50 teams
• One Junior Mixed Style Warwick 30 team

There are three archers per team, and the club will collate the scores in descending order and the highest scores will be entered each month. Scores will need to be submitted on a club score sheet and signed as indicated. The rules for the competition can be found on the DCAS Postal Competitions page, and the associated score sheet on the Club Score Sheets page.

The following scores were submitted by members of the club and as you can see from the results below the club performed reasonably well:

In August we again managed to win in 4 of the 6 divisions we have entered. Well done to all those who provided scores for this competition.

The current standings are as follows:

• Senior Recurve/Barebow Long Warwick team – Remain in 1^st place in Division 2
• Senior Compound Long Warwick team – Remain in 5^th place in Division 1
• Senior Longbow Warwick team – Remain in 3^rd place in Division 1
• Senior Recurve/Barebow Warwick 50 team A – Remain in 1^st place in Division 1
• Senior Recurve/Barebow Warwick 50 team B – Moved up to 2^nd place in Division 2
• Junior Mixed Style Warwick 30 team – Remain in 2^nd place in Division 1

Currently the following archers hold the highest scores for the round shot by bow style:

• Linda Wright (Ladies Barebow) Long Warwick (Mixed) – Score 221
• John Pengilley (Gents Barebow) Long Warwick (Mixed) – Score 214
• Neill White (Gents Longbow) Warwick – Score 304
• Finley Melia (U16 Boys Recurve) Warwick 30 – Score 370 (new club record)
• Josie Nuttall (U16 Girls Barebow) Warwick 30 – Score 327 (new club record)

Well done to all of you.

A document containing all of August’s submitted scores can be found here.

September is the final round of the 2024 DCAS summer postal, so there is one final chance to improve, or secure, the clubs standing in all of the divisions.

Submission of a DCAS Summer Postal score sheet also gives you the opportunity to earn a Six Gold, Three Gold (Longbow) badge if you shoot the relevant score on the longest distance of your round. More information about this scheme can be found in the Award Scheme page of the club website.

Redruth Archers Double WA1440 Weekend (3^rd & 4^th August)

Several Yelverton Bowmen archers traveled to Redruth for this weekend competition shooting 90m or 70m WA1440 rounds, and all shot well with Alex, Jill & Neill shooting new club records:

Day 1:

• Alex Rowe came 3^rd in the Men’s 90m Recurve
• Gary Wong came 5^th in the Men’s 90m Compound
• Jill Hudson came 3^rd in the Ladies 70m Longbow
• Neill White came 1^st in the Mens 50+ 70m Longbow
• IANSEO | Redruth Archers Double 1440 Day 1

Day 2:

• Alex Rowe came 4^th  in the Men’s 90m Recurve
• Gary Wong came 6^th in the Mens 90m Compound
• Jill Hudson came 2^nd in the Ladies 70m Longbow
• Neill White came 1^st in the Men’s 50+ 70m Longbow
• IANSEO | Redruth Archers Double 1440 Day 2

Exmouth Archers WA Weekend (17th & 18th August)

Several Yelverton Bowmen archers made the trip to Exmouth for this competition. Day one consisted of a WA 720 seeding round, followed by Heads to Heads. Day Two saw archers shooting WA1440 Star & Metric rounds.

Day 1:

• Iain Lees came 7^th in the Compound Men category ranking round, and was eventually beaten in the head to head gold medal match by one point. Well done to Iain.
• Gary Wong came 5^th in the Compound Men category ranking round, and was knocked out in the head to head by the archer who went on to take third place.
• Corey Richardson came 8^th in the Compound Men category ranking round, and was knocked out in the second round of Head to Heads by the eventual winner.
• IANSEO | Exmouth Archers WA Weekend Day 1 (WA 720)

Day 2:

• Neill White secured the gold medal in the Men’s WA 1440 90m Longbow,
• Gary Wong switched bow styles on day 2 and took the bronze medal in the Men’s WA 1440 90m Longbow,
• Corey Richardson took the gold medal in the Men’s WA 1440 (70m) Compound.
• IANSEO | Exmouth Archers WA Weekend Day 2 (WA 1440)

Lizard Peninsula Bowmen Summer Bonanza (24th & 25th August)

Gary Wong was the only club member to make the trip to the Lizard peninsula and shot well on both days:

Day 1:

• Gary came 1^st place in the Men’s Single Hereford Longbow, and

Day 2:

• 2^nd place in the Men’s Single York Longbow

Well done Gary, great effort.

Paris 2024: Aim for Paris Virtual Challenge

The Aim for Paris Virtual Challenge offered archers of all levels the chance to shoot alongside the best of the best during the Olympics and Paralympics from wherever you are.

From the 26 July to the 8 September, archers were able to compete in the Aim for Paris Virtual Challenge and experience the spirit of international competition.

With distances ranging from 10 metres to 70 metres, each round presents a unique challenge, mirroring the intensity and precision of the Olympic and Paralympic events.

Participating in the Aim for Paris Virtual Challenge is easy and accessible to all. Simply shoot your chosen round, record your scores, and submit your entry via the online form.

Only a small number of archers took up this challenge and submitted internal score sheets, these will be assessed and discussed with those who entered.

Target Days

There will be no season long competition this summer so the club are introducing a number of target days each month, Rounds will be announced before the start of each month and will be tailored to give archers talking part in a number of external competitions a chance to practice the relevant rounds. Also designated rounds shot on Target Days will count towards the achievement of an archers Bowman Classification. These rounds will be released in the Events section of the club website. Score sheets and clipboards etc will be made available on the day, and the rounds will be shot & scored in accordance with Archery GB rules.

The Target Days for September will include:

• Sunday 1^st September: Long Metric / Warwicks
• Tuesday 3^rd September: Warwicks (in support of DCAS Postal competition only)
• Friday 6^th September: Warwicks (in support of DCAS Postal competition only)
• Sunday 8^th September : Warwicks
• Tuesday 10^th September: Warwicks (in support of DCAS Postal competition only)
• Sunday 22^nd September: Yelverton Bowmen internal Summer National Competition
• Sunday 29^th September: Warwicks – Final chance to shoot a round for entry into the DCAS summer Postal competition

A list of indoor target days will be published in due course.

2024/25 Indoor Season

DCAS Winter Postal

The entry details for the DCAS winter postal competitions (Portsmouth & Frostbite) have been issued to the club and we will look to enter a mix of teams in both competitions to cover all bow styles. As with the summer postals these will be open to all club members, with the highest scores each month being submitted. Scores submitted for these competitions will also qualify for individual Frosbite & Portsmouth badges. Both of these competitions start in October and the teams being entered will be confirmed next month, however details of the competitions can be found here.

Bray 1 League

Running alongside the DCAS Portsmouth Postal and Frostbite Postal Competitions we are also running an internal club competition shooting Bray I rounds. The competition will run from the beginning of October to the end of March.