Write on Target
Serious introduction this time, folks. We need people to support our indoor venue at Perryfields High School, Oldacre Road, Oldbury. Please come along at 8.00 pm on Friday evenings. The venue has been repainted and the heating and lighting is now heaps better! To make it self-supporting, we need at least fourteen people. It only costs £3.00 a head for an evening's entertainment in good company and, now, pleasant conditions. If numbers fall short, the club has to make up the difference.
Annual General Meeting
This year's AGM took place on 16 October. Our committee is largely unchanged, thus ensuring continuity. We have one new member - welcome to Carl Haywood.
The main item of note, you will be pleased to know, is that your club subscriptions will remain unchanged for the coming year (however, any increases from GNAS, County and Region will have to be passed on).
Another item of note was that it was felt we needed to encourage people to enter competitions and postal matches. As you frequently read in our Newsletters, we need the less experienced archers to come along and have a go, especially at the postal matches, because we give you LOTS OF POINTS before you've even shot an arrow. Unfortunately, the response to these pleas is somewhat disappointing. So, come along you newer folk, and help us out here!
Bob's Bows - A Potted History - Part 4
On a sunny Saturday, a Japanese attack was launched.
Whilst perusing the wares at Severn Products, with a view to being extravagant and buying a dozen nocks (I had the agonising decision of red or green), I espied a display. A complete package - take-down bow with metal riser; string; V-bars; long-rod; TFC's and counter balance - all in its own box - the complete kit for only £300 (it WAS a long time ago!)-
I started to dribble. This I must have, but there were two problems; the first being that I couldn't pronounce the maker's name (Nishizawa), and the second being that I didn't have £300.
But, hey ho, problems are there to be solved. I overcame the first with a crash course in Japanese from my Zen Master, Bagakakki, and the second by agreeing to pay Severn Products £100 a month. One proviso was that I could take it away and try it for one week, to ensure that it would perform to my expectations and 'do the distance'.
Nishizawas (or Nishi's as they were known) became very popular, but you either liked them and shot well, or didn't. I liked mine. It was my pride and joy: a white riser with black and chrome fittings, and the novelty of TFC's and stabilisers which were tailor made for the bow.
I achieved some of my best scores with this bow; an 1177 FITA being the most memorable, at a County Match in Much Wenlock. I also changed my arrow set up from 1816 with 7% piles to 1914 with 9% piles to give me a slightly stiffer shaft.
I was at one with my bow, but then one dark and ill-fated day, a boisterous dog that was loose on the field knocked down my bow from its stand and it fell on to a paved area. The fibreglass on the edge of the top limb split (not terminally, but enough to cause concern) and even with the best efforts of two bowyers, it could not be repaired properly as the adhesives would not stop the split elongating. The only remedy was a judicious amount of red electrical tape which served its purpose, but the bow's days were numbered. I eventually sold it, but always regretted doing so.
Coming in Part 5 - VORSPRUNG DORK TECHNIC.
Shoot Reports
Lyme Valley Field Shoot - 3 August
Dave Johnson went to this shoot and came back having gained second place in the Freestyle - well done Dave!
Wolverhampton Co. of Archers - Longbow Shoot -17 August (Double National)
Bob Cole was the only SCOA attendee and he came away the overall winner with a trophy and medal - well done Bob!
Severn Valley Field Shoot - 5 October
Approximately seven attended, and awards were won by Pete Langmaid and Bob Hanson. If anyone else achieved an award, apologies - the management's memory banks are tired tonight!
Kings Heath Field Shoot -12 October
Several members went to this "Middle Earth" shoot, where Trolls, Gollums and Hobbits were the order of the day. The woods had not been used for a field shoot before, and therefore the course was challenging but great fun. Congratulations to Kings Heath for a lot of hard work which had been put in to a very enjoyable shoot. A number of trophies were awarded to SCOA members.
Dates for your Diary
Postal Matches
SCOA Shoot Dates
Sunday 2 November - Worcester round at the Harry Mitchell Sports Centre, Smethwick.
Please could we have as many volunteers as possible to put out and help with this shoot.
Records Reports
New Records
| Recurve | |||
| Jo Horner | Long Warwick | 352 | Club and County Record |
West Midlands Summer League
We are still third in Division Two, being beaten by Redditch and Coventry, some 2,500 points off the pace. We had no archer mentioned in the highest scores section for the July postal.
County of Worcester Summer League
We are lying fifth out of six in this competition, with Redditch leading. They are roughly 1,800 points in front of us.
Members'Achievements
Finally, Derek Peacock has achieved a new club record, managing to sling his bow over the hedge, and nearly reaching the Halesowen bypass!
Special Mention
Welcome to the Bourne family - quite an auspicious start - a 'Robin Hood' shot on their first visit to the field as new members! Congratulations indeed.
Our esteemed Chairman, Peter Langmaid, is off to New Zealand for a whole month (but he'll be back before Christmas). Bon Voyage, Pete.
No Quiz this time but instead a little ditty:
I'm on a Committee
Oh, give me your pity. I'm on a committee
Which means from morning to night
We attend and amend and contend and defend
Without a conclusion in sight.
We confer and concur, we defer and demur
And reiterate all of our thoughts
We revise the agenda with frequent addenda
And consider a load of reports.
We compose and propose, we suppose and oppose,
And the points of procedure are fun!
Though various notions are brought up as motions,
There's terribly little gets done.
We resolve and absolve, but we never dissolve
Since it's out of the question for us.
What a shattering pity to end our committee;
Where else could we make such a fuss?
Archerix
Archery - A sport in which you claim the privilege of age and retain the playthings of childhood.