Cloth of Gold Master Hunter Open Shoot 24^th Sept 2006

Report by Nev Wilson

The day started dull and miserable with small showers, at 8 30 things had started to buzz a little and the course officers with the team of helpers spread out round  the woods ferreting out the 3 Ds which had been secreted around the woods the previous day Saturday. The rest of the day was bathed in bright sunshine; the build up to this year’s Master Hunter Shoot had started shortly after the May Shoot. It was agreed to put this on in September after pressure from the NFAS members around other shoots requesting we host another Master Hunter Open Shoot. Patch results can be seen at the bottom of the page.

As this type of shoot is unique to Cloth of Gold, we as a Club were the first, and have been putting this shoot on for the past ten years each one has had its ups and downs but it has always been greeted with enthusiasm by the Archers participating. So we reluctantly decided to bend to these requests and proceed by modifying the May course. Dave Piercy with his slashes and burn enthusiasm nearly ripped the guts out of his section, but because of the superb help he received from his little band of workers plus Anne and Jamie (we are going to rename him Dave (Snow White and the seven dwarfs, Hi Ho Hi Ho its off to work we go).As we were modifying the May Course the Course Officers were to remain the same. Brian Boon’s section Targets 1 to 3 and 16 to 24 (he lost his main work force to Magna Carta, Wally Robson resigned) so he could only make very little changes to his section. He did what he could but due to other commitments his section of the course had to be completed by Nev Wilson and John Davison on the Saturday before the shoot took place on Sunday. Norman Birds section 25 to 36 was slightly changed by swapping a few 3 d s around and adding three different targets to the overall course (this was because Norman unfortunately has got personal reasons for not being able to spend the time he needs to change his course).

So Nev Wilson and John Davison stepped in to make the necessary changes. Let’s look on the positive side and see what we did right. 125 booked in, there were 11 no shows, but thanks to Graham and Sue Birch plus their party, who unfortunately broke down on the motorway, took the trouble to contact us to let us know they had to cancel. To those who did not bother, you missed a FANTASTIC shoot! Tough Tittie! One of the special features on this shoot was the Striking Snake recreated by Lobby and Lionel. The Pheasant and the Hawk caused some consternation on Norman’s course, having to shoot though camouflaged netting, and the Elephant with a slight peg juggle gave some archers a headache. 

Just one last moan, a group of Archers left the course at Target 25 for tea and was asked by the Marshal not to return to the course behind Target 25 but to re-enter the course via Jims Cut Target 21.This they did not do?  They were seen returning to the course in the direction of Target 25. Note; No archer whoever they may be should not compromise shooting rules to save a few minutes walking time, just to inflate that individuals ego, also this does not set a good example to the young members in their group The shoot finished late waiting for 5 Compound archers to complete this trying and testing course. They had to concentrate so hard to reach Master Hunter Status it took twice as long to release one arrow but that is what it takes to become a Master Hunter (subsequently two of them did!). Finally thanks go to the catering staff (most of them were last minute volunteers), the car parking staff, the bridge builders, the toilet supervisors, the registration team, the security guards, and all those who helped with whatever little job. Well done!

Master Hunter Patch Results (12 Archers made the required Scores)

September 24^th 2006

Longbow Ladies                     Scores                    Scores Required

Carol Edwards                          390                       390

AFB Ladies

Sharon Charman                       610                       460

June Darling                              510                       460

AFB Gents

Dennis Alston                           800                       675

Hunting Tackle Ladies

Yvonne Morley                         545                       450

Penny Dickson                         515                       450

Mandy Rayner                          455                       450

Hunting Tackle Gents

Paul Whitehead                         825                       650

Graham Eldridge                       700                       650

John Macintosh                        685                       650

C/L Ladies

Adele Simms                            710                       700

C/UL Gents

Chris Lovelock                         1060                     1025