On Friday 24th January South Wansdyke Archery Club hosted their 2024 season awards at Pratton’s Sports and Social Club. The event was well attended, by 30 archers, with a delicious buffet provided by Sharon Adams and Nick Crisp followed by some skittles.

Classification badges were awarded to 37 archers for both indoor and outdoor archery, ranging from Archer 3rd Class to Bowman 1st class. The classification demonstrates an individual ability, as defined by Archery GB for their Age, Gender and Bow type. Notable mentions go to Sophie Young, who shot at a level of U21 female recurve Indoor Master Bowman and twice at outdoor Master Bowman and also Andy Young, who shot a round at the 50+ male recurve Master Bowman level.

Other achievement by club member throughout the year: Clair Crook, Clive Jarrett, Jake Appleton, Janet Ross, Jo Backstrom & Simon Whittle picked up Trophies & Medals at external competitions this season. Most notably Andrea Whittle won the Bath Hereford and the County Championship Silver Medal and was called up for the South West Inter County Tournament. Clive, Andrea & Simon retained the Bath Hereford Team Trophy for the Club!

A variety of awards and trophies were presented by Club Chairman Andy Young. The details are below.

Improvement Awards

• Coaches Shield for Improvement
  • All seniors, greatest handicap reduction Jan 2024 – Dec 2024.
    • Konrad Sowul – 30 pt reduction (60 – 30)
• Junior Coaches Shield for Improvement
  • All juniors, greatest handicap reduction Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 OR coaches’ choice.
    • Cody Adams – 7 pt reduction
• New:  AGB Handicap Improvement Medal 2024, member @ 1^st July 23, with at least an 8 round based handicap on 1^st January 2024
  • Wayne Edgell – 9 pt reduction

Handicap Cup

• 1^st and 2^nd awarded.  Most points in Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 season.
  • Cody Adams – 20 pts
  • Sharon Adams – 15 pts

Senior and Junior Bowtype Awards

• Chairman’s Cup
  • 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd places awarded.
  • Average of senior recurve archers three highest outdoor handicap rating, Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
    • Andy Young – 35.0
  • • Simon Whittle – 36.0
    • Sophie Young – 36.33
• Junior Chairman’s Cup
  • 1^st place awarded.
  • Average of junior recurve archers three highest outdoor handicap rating, to include progression or 252 handicaps (indoor or outdoor), Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
    • Michael Lewis – 82.33
• Top Gun Trophy
  • 1^st & 2^nd place awarded.
  • Average of senior compound archers three highest outdoor handicap rating (indoor or outdoor), Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
    • Konrad Sowul – 29.33

• Barebow Award
  • 1^stplace awarded.
  • Average of senior barebow archers three highest outdoor handicap rating, Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
    • Jake Appleton – 50.0
• Junior Barebow Award
  • 1^st place awarded.
  • Average of junior barebow archers three highest outdoor handicap rating (to include progression or 252 handicaps), Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
    • Cody Adams – 75.00

Junior Age Group Awards

• Junior Cups – Average of three highest handicap rating, to include progression or 252 handicaps (indoor or outdoor) at each age group
  • U10       Riley Edgell – 94
  • U14 Michael Lewis – 82.33
  • U16 Cody Adams – 75.00

Ladder Competition

• • Div 1 – Gold, Silver, Bronze OR Best Recurve, Compound, Barebow, Longbow
    • Gold Sophie Young
    • Silver Andy Young
    • Bronze Clive Jarrett
  • Div 2 – Gold, Silver, Bronze OR Best Recurve, Compound, Barebow, Longbow
    • Gold Konrad Sowul
    • Silver Jacob Appleton
    • Bronze Wayne Edgell

1508 scores were recorded for the 2024 Season (Indoors and Outdoors)

• Most Submitted Scores, Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
  • Gents Clive Jarret – 89 (by 6 scores)
  • Ladies Nicola Solomon – 86 (by 7 scores)
  • Grannies Cup (Juniors) Cody Adams – 41 (by 10 scores)

Graham Billam’s Member’s Choice Tankard

Clair Crook, for commitment to the club, coaching and Monday night Indoor season support.

No sooner has the 2024 Handicap season closed but the 2025 season commences. The first round of the year was an indoor Portsmouth held at Pratton’s Social Club on Monday 13th January. New club members Shawn and Sue Mogg picked up the gold and silver medals, along with some valuable points for the annual Handicap Trophy. Matthew Bromfield can 3rd, his second medal, after picking up gold in September. Our next handicap competition will be on Saturday 8th February, at St Mary’s where we will be shooting an Winter Warwick!

Junior Barebow Archer Cody Adams took the spoils at the remaining Handicap Competitions of the 2024 season, taking the gold medal in the indoor Worcester and Portsmouth rounds respectively. This concludes the 2024 Handicap Tournament, with the results to be announced at the clubs annual awards evening on Friday 24th January. The November Worcester results went the way of the barebow archers, with Lynda Shearn collecting the silver medal and Kim Gay the Bronze. Decembers Portsmouth competition saw a family affair at the top, with Cody’s Gran, Sharon Adams, claiming the Silver medal and Kim Gay again picking up the Bronze.

It has been a busy few months at South Wansdyke Archery Club, with tournament victories, club handicap winners and personal improvement awards.

We start back in August at the Bath Archers Annual Hereford Tournament.  Andrea Whittle continued her good form this summer with the victory in the Senior Ladies Recurve.  This victory, and with a County Championship Silver medal in July, saw her called up to represent Somerset for the first time at the Southwest Intercounty tournament in September.  Simon Whittle claimed the bronze medal in the senior men’s recurve category and the Team of Andrea, Simon and Clive Jarrett retained the team trophy for South Wansdyke.

Within the club the monthly handicap competitions have been very competitive, in August Sharon Adams was victorious from Simon Whittle and Nicola Solomon.  September saw the gold medal presented Matthew Bromfield, silver to Sharon Adams and bronze to Anthony Crosbie.  Most recently in October, Junior Archer Evie Rees topped the score sheet from Nick Crisp and Andrea Whittle.  It is very pleasing to see Matthew, Anthony and Evie all pick up medals in their first year of archery, following completion of one of our three Beginner’s courses this year.  With two events left Sharon Adams leads the Handicap Cup by 2 points from Cody Adams and Simon Whittle.

Personal achievements in the form of Archery Great Britain progress awards have been attained by many club members but most notably Wayne Edgell attaining has indoor and outdoor gold award, junior barebow archer Cody Adams reaching the Indoor Gold and outdoor red awards and finally Konrad Sowul claiming all five outdoor awards over the space of 3 months in the compound bow category.

Finally, this autumn saw 10 new archers successfully completing our Beginner’s course and as a result we are pleased to welcome a number of new members.  If you are interested in archery South Wansdyke Archery Club will be hosting another Beginner’s course in March 2025.  Dates to be confirmed but do keep an eye on our website, https://southwansdykearchers.co.uk/.

Photos courtesy of Caroline Wilgar

Bath Hereford Tournament on Sunday 11th August 2024.

Andrea Whittle: Gold medal Ladies recurve

Simon Whittle: Bronze medal Gents recurve

Clive Jarrett, Andrea Whittle and Simon Whittle retained the mixed team trophy.