County Invitation Tournament, 2008

Results

The final results list is now available for download.

Acknowledgements

In the absence of a County Captain, the County Invitation Tournament was organised this year by the Records Officer, Mandy Warren.

The Association would like to thank everyone who made the tournament a success, in particular:

• Mandy Warren for her work in preparing the invitations and coordinating the work;
• the working party for setting out the field on the Saturday and resetting and clearing the field on Sunday, especially, Tim East, Peter Hagon, Neil Turville, Michael Walton;
• to Margaret Barrett, Christine Bearman and Pam Hagon for all the work they did in advance and for preparing the results on the day;
• and last, but by no means least, all those archers who persevered through very difficult shooting conditions.

Press Release

Most of the top archers from all over Kent were competing in the Kent Archery Association Invitation Tournament at Hadlow College on Sunday. Although this early-season tournament is not a formal selection event for the county team, it is looked on as an ideal opportunity for serious competitive practice before the main season gets underway and a chance to show-case skills ahead of selection for the first team match in May. Of about 1100 archers in the county, the top few are invited to take part in this annual event and this year 68 attended, divided into various classes according to age and the type of bow, which ranged from modern tournament bows to traditional English longbows.

If not a trial in name, this year was certainly a trial by nature! Although the rain stayed away, strong, gusting cross-winds throughout most of the day tested the skill and endurance of everyone – it is difficult enough in perfect conditions to consistently hit a 4 foot diameter target and its 10 inch gold from a distance of 80 or 100 yards, but add a stiff cross-wind with gusts of over 20 mph, you certainly have seriously testing conditions. This made it all the more impressive that very few competitors failed to stay the course.

Kay Outram, a compound archer from Sutton Bowmen Archery Club, was the highest scoring senior, ending the tournament with a score of 1136 out of a possible maximum score of 1296, leading by more than 50 points from Theresa Gower of Canterbury Archers who ended the tournament with a score of 1082. At the start it looked like Hillary Essex of Swan Archers would be Kay's closest rival, when early on there was only 2 points between them, but with a few low scoring shots and 2 misses for Hilary, it allowed Kay to steam ahead.

Clinton Hill from Ten-Ring Archery Club won the men's Longbow discipline with an impressive score of 737, while Stella Green of Thanet Archery Club, won the Ladies Longbow with a score of 384. The half way mark for Stella was her turning point, after which she shot particularly strongly, gaining the points needed to take the trophy.

More information about archery in Kent and how you can take part in this sport is available from the Kent Sports Development Unit.