This might be a bit late to be news, technically, but AOTW members did us proud at Dunster Week this year. A south-west archery institution since 1955, Dunster Week is set at Dunster Castle in Somerset and comprises a variety of different events.

This year’s event was attended by Dave and Kate Slatter (becoming a regular event for them) and Dave Onley along with Dave and Kate’s daughter Ashley who currently shoots with Cardiff University. Much to their surprise they were joined by a 4th Club member Michael Barnett. Michael had only recently joined the club and not actually met anyone before showing up at Dunster. If Dunster had an award for the furthest distance travelled to the event he would have won hands down as he had come over from Australia on an archery holiday. Michael hails from Hayle so chose to join his local club so that he could take part in several UK national competitions.

Day 1 Monday 13th June saw Michael getting a silver medal in a Ladies WA 1440 round with a score of 1181. Restrictions on the distances available meant the Gents WA1440 couldn’t be held.

Day 2 saw two competitions being held. Dave Onley stayed in the castle grounds and took part in his first ever Albion, coming midfield in the results table and resolving to get a stronger longbow.

Dave, Kate, Ash and Michael as a group went shooting all manner of beasties, including the odd dinosaur, at the 3D field round in the woods. Dave managed 9th in the Gents barebow, Kate 6th Ladies barebow, Ash was robbed of her initial 3rd place for Ladies Freestyle (after someone had a recount on their score sheet) and Michael shooting 3D field for the first time got his second silver in Gents Freestyle.

Day 3 Wednesday is Longbow Day with many archers opting to go all medieval and dress up for the occasion. Dave Onley and Kate Slatter took part for their first time joining nearly 120 other archers having fun at a two-way western. Dave finished a respectable 33rd and Kate 81st not bad for a 1st time.

Day 4 was a team event for teams of three archers. Teams could include any mix of bow types and a handicap system was used to try and make things fair. 22 teams participated with each team shooting a round against another team of three before going on to face another team. Whilst many missed the clout the event did mean you got to meet and talk to far more archers than normal, and all stood or sat to watch the shoot off for first and 2nd place between Dave Onley’s Longbow Team and Alex Rowe’s Recurve Team. Alex’s team got it, but it was close.

Day 5 was a single Western round which saw Dave Onley coming a very respectable 13th out of a field of 34 in the gents Longbow, Kate Slatter securing a Bronze in Ladies Barebow and Dave Slatter being completely flummoxed as how he managed to blag the gold in the Gents Barebow.

Day 6 was a double Long National /National with one round in the morning and the other in the afternoon. This was repeated on Day 7 to create a Double Double. Only Michael was keen enough to shoot over the two days (the others had seen the change in the weather forecast) and his efforts were rewarded with a third place Bronze.

Next year the Dunster Archery Week is moving back a month to the 17-23rd July 2023 so that the grass can be cut to allow the Clout Shoot to be held.
Details about Dunster Archery Week can be found online at Dunster Archery Week.