Ten titles for Ballyvally at Field Archery Championships

The tournament was held in the grounds of Loughbrickland House courtesy of Dr. Jean Whyte and over 100 archers participated. The round was a Mixed FITA and was shot to International standards with four judges on the courses to ensure everything when according to plan and to the rules.

The tournament was shot over two days and the Chief Judge was Mr Tony McLoughlin from Dublin. There were two courses of 12 targets each set in wooded terrain and each proved tricky especially the unmarked course which was totally changed for day two.

After the snow, wind and biting cold of shoots in January, February and March it was a relief to get two good days for the archers to compete!

In the senior section Joanne Walker won the ladies barebow beating Niamh Bhreathnach for Galway into second place and Lisa McConnell (Ballyvally) was third.

In the ladies compound barebow Bernie Scullion won and also broke the one day and the two day record.

Two men also won. In the gents traditional class Damien Lennon was top and in gents barebow Robert Mallon came in first with 641 points ahead of second place Rune Naeri (Ballyvally)] and third placed Rohan O’Duill (Wicklow).

As a club Ballyvally are very strong in the junior ranks and in the junior sections the club had five overall winners. Boys Frank Lennon (barebow), Matthew Gilmore (traditional) and Dean Hamilton (compound barebow) all won and in fact Dean not only beat all the juniors, he also beat all the seniors as well - evidently one to watch for the future!

In the girls sections Shannon Russell-Cowan won the girls traditional and also beat all the ladies. Shannon is the current British Ladies champion. Rebecca Lennon won the compound unlimited class.

With the World Field Championships approaching in July 2010, three Ballyvally archers have been selected to shoot on the British team at the event.

Robert Mallon has been selected to shoot as a senior although he is still only a junior. Mark Nesbitt, currently on Olympic training in England, has also been selected and the latest to receive confirmation is the current number one ladies barebow archer Joanne Walker. No other club in Great Britain has three archers from the one club on the team.

With the bluebells starting to flower, Ballyvally’s annual Bluebell Shoot will take place on May 15-16. Entry forms are now available from the club. This will be followed up by a National Animal Shoot on Sunday June 6.