SIXTEEN members of Tavistock company of archers left Plymouth for their visit to Tavistock?s twin town of Pontivy on Friday, May 30. This year the club was very hopeful of winning on French soil for the first time.
The team was made up of many senior archers but also some very good juniors who were going to Pontivy for the very first time. After a very good sea crossing and a steady two-hour drive down to Pontivy the group was greeted in the main square by many French friends. They were then taken to the town hall to meet the mayor and to have some light refreshments.
Next day they were taken off to visit Pont Aven and the seaside town of Concarneau, where the French archers decided to take on Tavistock in a game of football. There really was no competition as Tavistock ran out easy 10-4 winners with our strike force of Dr John Martin and Chairman Mike Charlesworth in fine form. The evening brought the first practise session and all the team were very confident for the competition on Sunday.
Sunday came, it was 33 degrees and very noisy due to the handball tournament that was taking place on the nearby football pitch. The chairman?s request for more sedate music fell on deaf ears so to speak.
After the morning session Tavistock were ahead in many categories especially the Junior section where 12 year old Ashley Cackett was way out in front of everybody including the seniors.
Then came lunch and that?s when the Tavistock members had problems namely in food form and liquid form because after two hours for lunch no one had a decent afternoon session and the lead was gradually slipping away.
The results were ready and congratulations went to the Juniors Ashley Cackett, David Bales, Keiran Scott and James Scott who did the club proud with Ashley Cackett taking top score with 669. But not to be out done by her son mum Sandi, shooting for the first time in Pontivy, was 1st in the ladies? Freestyle class.
In the Gents Freestyle class chairman Mike Charlesworth was 2nd, and Lez James was 2nd in the Gents Compound section with Peter Bales 3rd and in the ladies section Anita Bales was 2nd.
The overall team result was Pontivy 4417 and Tavistock 4390 so they won by 27 points the closest margin yet. After a superb 6 course meal in the evening chairman Mike Charlesworth thanked the archers of Pontivy for a splendid weekend and invited them to Tavistock in 2004.