Eight out of 12 titles go to Ballyvally archers at the NI Championships

The NIAS Indoor Archery Championships were held on Sunday in Banbridge Leisure Centre with eight local winners.

This major event was hosted by the local club, Ballyvally Archery Club and saw packed hall shoot the standard 60 arrows called a Portsmouth round.

The youngest archers shot in the under eight years class and the age groups went up to under 20 years.

None were more successful, though, than Ballyvally’s own archers, who won eight out of 12 overall awards.

The Ballyvally winners were Peter Kinney (American flatbow class), Sinead Byrne (girls compound barebow), Marc Matthews (boys compound barebow class]), Rachel Wilson (girls Medieval longbow class), David Fairley (boys medieval longbow class), Molly Dunne (girls barebow class) and of course Aimee Convery (girls freestyle class).

The giant plaque for the most improved boy archer since the last championships went to Ethan McKinley, who improved his score by over 100 points since the last tournament.

Ballyvally’s youngest archer, aged just three, joined the club last week but was not ready to shoot yet - maybe next year!

PRESENTATION NIGHT

Ballyvally’s presentation night will take place this Friday night (29th January).

All the awards for 2015, including most improved, archers of the month etc will be presented in the beautiful surroundings of the refurbished Belmont Hotel.

Club members are asked to check their mantelpieces and cabinets and please return all missing cups and trophies which were won last January.

On the night, the archery achievement badges will be presented plus a host of cups and medals for the many leagues which the club organises.

BUDDY BEAR TRUST

At the presentation night, Ballyvally archers always organise a fund raiser for a charity.

This year, the Buddy Bear Trust has been selected.

This is a special school in Dungannon which is not funded by the Government and has to rely on fund raising.

Members are asked to bring raffle prizes and buy plenty of tickets.

Last November, £500 was raised for Cancer during the Pink night.

WINTER COACHING

Each year, Ballyvally organises four major four/five day coaching sessions, which largely explains why the club has had 14 members shooting at international level for UK or RoI in the past three years.

Members are encouraged to enter their names as most of the sessions are already booked up.

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