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Dunster 2025

Communications

It is my intention to keep everything pretty much the same as I don’t want to spoil such an institution, however there will be some small tweaks, mainly to make my life easier in administering the week. The main one for now is that we are moving to using BookWhen to take entries which is why there is no smart Excel entry form. Hopefully most of you will have used BookWhen to enter competitions or indeed other non-Archery related events. Each day is listed separately but I ask to make my life easier, enter all the days you wish to shoot to your shopping basket and then pay in one go. Similarly if you are entering for a partner or friend add them to the same basket.

If you are unable to use BookWhen, then please email me and we can discuss alternatives using the smart Excel entry form.

The email address for all Dunster related matters is dunster@gwas.org.uk. Please don’t email Vikki as she will only have to pass the emails on!

Importantly the “Additional information” box can be used to let me know if you would like to shoot with or near another archer. Please also use this box to let me know if you have any special requirements, e.g. need to stay on the line. It takes time to build this knowledge and I only know some of it, so please don’t assume I know!! It would be really helpful to me if you are a gent shooting the ladies round or vice versa if you could add a comment confirming this, will save me getting in touch with you to check it’s not just a typo in your entry!

Entries will open on BookWhen at 7pm on Wednesday 12th March.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, then I will try my best to assist.

I look forward to your entries and then seeing you at the castle in July.

Tim

Counties, Featured, Latest News

Senior Intercounties Results

Communications

The GWAS Senior Intercounties 2024 was held on 22 September at Cleve Archers. GWAS and Counties would like to offer their thanks to Cleve Archers for hosting the shoot and to the archers who took part.

Regional County Champion Team

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 18098
2nd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 17772
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 16941
4th – Dorset and Wiltshire Archery Society 14312

Team Trophies

Janet Faralewski Salver

Recurve team of 4 Gents and 3 Ladies

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 7824
2nd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 7693
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 7203

G.W.A.S. Challenge Silver Bugle

Recurve team of 4 Gents

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 4655
2nd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 4523
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 4506

Dunster Challenge Trophy

Recurve team of 3 Ladies

1st – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 3170
2nd – Dorset and Wiltshire Archery Society 3169
3rd – Gloucestershire Archery Society 2756
4th – Somerset County Archery Association 2697

Compound Team Trophy

Team of 2 Gents and 2 Ladies

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 5364
2nd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 5181
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 5021
4th – Dorset and Wiltshire Archery Society 4520

St Loyes Longbow Team Trophy

Team of 2 Gents and 2 Ladies

1st – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 1744
2nd – Gloucestershire Archery Society 1486
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 984

Barebow Team Trophy

Team of 2 Gents and 2 Ladies

1st – Somerset County Archery Association 4095
2nd – Gloucestershire Archery Society 4036
3rd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 3928
4th – Dorset and Wiltshire Archery Society 3052

Individual Trophies

The Awdry Trophy

Highest scoring Lady Recurve

Sophie Bradford, Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 1122

The Farley Trophy

Highest scoring Gentleman Recurve

Lee Parsons, Somerset County Archery Association 1240

The Chippenham Archers Salver

Highest scoring Lady Compound

Grace Chappell, Gloucestershire Archery Society 1352

The Dorset and Wiltshire Salver

Highest scoring Gentleman Compound

Liam Goodes, Somerset County Archery Association 1369

The Silver Napkin Rings

Highest scoring Lady Longbow

Charlie Semmens, Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 358

The Silver Napkin Rings

Highest scoring Gentleman Longbow

Antony Aplin, Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 612

The GWAS Barebow Salver

Highest scoring Lady Barebow

Alice Bailey, Gloucestershire Archery Society 1039

The GWAS Barebow Tankard

Highest scoring Gentleman Barebow

Bill Wilson, Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 1152

Full Results

Ianseo Results

Counties, Featured, Latest News

Junior Championship and Junior Intercounties Results

Communications

The Grand Western Archery Society Open Junior Championship and Junior Intercounties Tournament was held on 21st September 2024 at Cleve Archers. GWAS and Counties would like to offer their thanks to Cleve Archers for hosting the shoot and to the archers who took part.

Regional County Champion Team

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 13906
2nd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 11431
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 9919
4th – Dorset and Wiltshire Archery Society 5358

Team Trophies

Recurve team of 6

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 7495
2nd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 6391
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 6197

Compound team of 2

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 2714
2nd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 2699
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 1813

Longbow team of 2

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 1165
2nd – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 855

Barebow team of 2

1st – Gloucestershire Archery Society 2532
2nd – Dorset and Wiltshire Archery Society 2148
3rd – Somerset County Archery Association 1909
4th – Devon & Cornwall Archery Society 1486

Individual Trophies

Blenkarne Junior Championship Trophy, Highest Boy Recurve

Carlos Amata, Gloucestershire Archery Society 1242

Blenkarne Junior Championship Trophy, Highest Girl Recurve

Ava Snell, Gloucestershire Archery Society 1339

Full Results

Ianseo Results

Featured, Latest News

GWAS Affiliations 2024/25

Communications

Fees for 2024/25 are:

Club Member – Junior£2.67
Club Member – Senior (Aged 18 to 20)£4.00
Club Member – Senior (Aged 21 to 24)£4.00
Club Member – Senior (Aged 25 & over)£8.00
Club Member – Archers with Disabilities£ Nil
University Club – Undergraduate & Postgraduate Students£4.00

GWAS fees are pro rated from April 2025 for new members, please see the form for full details.

Club

2024.25-GWAS-Club-Affiliation-Submission-Form-Version-4Download

Direct Members

2024-25-GWAS-Direct-Member-Affiliation-Fees-Form-Version1.2Download

Message from the Affiliations Secretary

Those of you who have monitored the AGM for Grand Western will know about the increase of £2 for Seniors at GWAS (with proportionate increases for other categories), maintaining the pro-rating of fees over the second half of the affiliation year; but the regime for Archery GB affiliations has changed radically and has only been announced in the last few weeks, see the Archery GB website for more details.

Archery GB has set up just three affiliation categories: Under 21’s, Over 21’s and Disabled, and removed the pro-rating of fees in favour of an annualised fee based on the date of payment of fees. They have also increased the fees by £10 for over 21’s and by £7 for under 21’s & Disabled and announced increases for the following two years, in advance.

GWAS Council has decided that there is insufficient time to amend our age-groupings and remove our pro-rating (which would require an Extraordinary General meeting to be called) between now and the time that affiliations need to be collected and submitted; instead, for this year, we will merge the existing and new age groups and resolve the situation at our next AGM (some other Constitutional changes will also be required).

I have summarised the fees and continuing pro-rating of Regional fees on the return sheet (it’s not as complicated as it looks!!).

Clubs will need to prepare for this year’s round of affiliations by registering with Archery GB by 28 August 2024 to submit globally on behalf of members and then complete the renewal process by 1 October 2024.

Archery GB is also encouraging members to pay their AGB affiliation fees direct to them, rather than through the Club. I would ask you to strenuously resist this; otherwise I see it as extremely difficult to monitor who is a fully paid up member (Club, County, Region & National) if submission of fees to those bodies is piecemeal.

Please continue to collect the whole of the fee through the Club.

I have redrafted the Affiliation Submission Form to incorporate the new schedule of categories.

  • The system of reporting just numbers of archers on the affiliation form remains in place.
  • Please submit your Regional affiliation sheet(s) at the same time as you do the Archery GB submission. This makes it easier for me to keep track of submissions. Thanks.
  • Each Regional Return should be consecutively numbered, so I can keep track of them. Please ensure that the Return No. box is completed showing the consecutive number of the Regional Return you are making. We’ll start again at No.1 for your first submission relating to 2024/25, then No.2 for your second submission and so on. I cannot access the “PAY….” number that appears on your AGB invoice, so please don’t use that.
  • You can still choose how you will submit the payment associated with the Regional Affiliation: either electronically (preferred) direct into the bank account or by cheque to me by surface mail. If you choose the latter, please put the Return No. on the back of the cheque to facilitate me linking the two together more easily. 
  • Even if you’re sending me a cheque payment in the post, you must submit the Regional Affiliation Submission Form to me electronically, along with a copy of the electronic invoice from Archery GB for the archers you are affiliating or a list of archers, their AGB Nos. and their membership category (if the AGB invoice is not available). These should all match.

Featured, Latest News

Dunster Archery Week 2024 Entries Open

Communications

At last, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the release of this year’s Dunster Week prospectus and entry form.

Please take your time to read through the prospectus and in particular take note of the comments around completing your entry form correctly, including all the necessary details and additional comments if needed. Remember, you have one form to fill in, I have hundreds to process 😉

I’m sure you are aware, 2024 marks the 150th Grand Western Archery Meeting and there are a few things going on to mark the occasion. I really hope as many of you as possible can make it this year and join in the fun!

Friday’s Western will see the inaugural “Dunster Vintage Challenge” instigated by Pat Wright, Pete Webb, and Lee Parsons. The idea is that you shoot a recurve or compound from the 80’s or 90’s; Yamaha, Marksman, Hoyt, Browning etc, (anyone out there still have a Nishizawa??), aluminium arrows are a must and if possible, sights and stabilisers from the same era. Is anyone brave enough to shoot with a Kevlar string? Dress code will be GNAS dark green and/or white, or classic 80s/90s clothing which meets current dress regulations which will unfortunately discount double denim 🤣. There will be suitably vintage trophies up for grabs and maybe even a little something for the best turned out bow and best dressed archer. If you would like to take part, please mention this in the “Additional Information” box on the entry form as I would like to put everyone taking part on adjacent targets.

I think (hope) this covers everything and I look forward to receiving your entries.

Best wishes and good shooting

Vikki

Featured, Latest News

GWAS AGM 2024

Communications

The Annual General Meeting of the Grand Western Archery Society will take place at West Buckland Village Hall, West Buckland, Somerset TA21 9NA at 1.15pm on Sunday 24th March 2024.

Below is the Calling Notice and Agenda, draft Minutes of the last AGM, Treasurers Report including Tournament breakdown and Council / Officers nomination form.

Please feel free to complete nominations for all posts and return within the stated time.

We are possibly looking for a Chairman, Junior Rep to organise the Regional Junior Championships incorporating the Junior Inter-Counties, two representatives to attend the Archery England committee meetings and an Equipment Officer.

This may seem daunting but we are a friendly team working together to make the region a successful one.

Tea, Coffee and Cake will be available after the AGM, hopefully see you there?

GWAS AGM Calling Notice 2024Download
Draft AGM Minutes 2023Download
2024 Council Nomination FormDownload
GWAS AGM Spreadsheet 2024Download
GWAS AGM Tournament Spreadsheets 2024Download
Featured

150th GWAM Commemorative Badge

Communications

I hope you are all keeping well and looking forward to this years Dunster Week which I hope is going to be something a bit special as it will mark the 150th Grand Western Archery Meeting.

One of the things we are doing to mark this auspicious occasion is to have a commemorative badge commissioned. This will be available for anyone to purchase; you don’t have to have shot at Dunster or even be an archer!

Details and the order form are below.

The badges will be available for collection at Dunster in July, but if you can’t make it, I will sort out an alternative method of getting yours to you.

I must say a huge thank you to Tony Newland for doing the legwork on this, it really is very much appreciated 😊

I look forward to hearing from you and have a great week!

Vikki

150th Grand Western Archery Meeting Commemorative BadgeDownload