These are some of the reports from our earlier shoots. Recent event reports will also be viewable here once posted.

 

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On the 12th August, 2007, with the Sun for once Shining Brightly, Eighty or so archers came to Tal-Y-Coed with a promise of shooting the Dragon, Idris. Suffice to say that they were not dissapointed!! There were rumours that the twin trees were still present, the rumours were true!!
With the recent outbreak of the return of Foot & Mouth to our countryside, it was debateable whether or not the shoot would go ahead, bearing on mind that the seventy odd acres that the course was laid out on is part of a working farm, and it was this in mind as well as the concerns of the landlord, that we reluctantly had to effectively keep those loveable rougues, dogs, from being allowed onto the course. Happily, the sole dog that was in attendance took full advantage of being kept in the marquee along with associated masses of spoilings and tickles from the tired archers, having made the arduous journey up & back down the hill to the first wood.
We decided to change the course around a bit this year with 42 targets as opposed to 40, and it was with this in mind that we directed the course the opposite way round in the first wood, out into the top field leading to a new stretch of copse that allowed for some long, but not too difficult, shots. Once back in the first wood, it was a couple of shots then onward to the tea tent where appetites were whetted and thirsts slaked, all thanks to the loyal tea tent crew. Nobody who attends a shoot could really appreciate how much work they actually do, and how they all work as a team , until you experience it first hand !! There were butties, cakes, and assorted sundries available to all whenever they turned up, a big hand to the tea crew!!
Thankfully, the day was mainly sunny, with high temperatures that verged to "a bit on the sticky" side, as one or two groups were heard to mutter, the only showers making a brief appearance during the morning period. No doubt, after many archers had climbed the hill and completed the first wood, the rain would have been more welcome then !
Many a curse was heard, usually after an arrow or two misjudged the gap in the twin tree shot, lots of shattered shafts now decorate the foreground. (Memo to self: the trees are not really there! the gap IS big........) But nevertheless, all shooters liked the shot to some degree or other. Don't worry, it'll be harder next year!! There were more 3Ds this year, and we think this made a vast difference to the course. We hope you felt the same, as we shall endeavour to provide more next time! Maybe some squirrels at 40 yards perhaps????
Scoring for the couse was of a high standard, with many an archer heard to say " got a pro kill on that one !!" By the looks of the scorecards that came in, it seemed that all classes had reasonably highish scores, considering the terrain and location of some of the shots. We can but hope that this is due to the calibre of archers who attended. We'll soon put that back to the test next year!! Squirrels at 50 yards!! We hope everyone enjoyed the standing bear, or as Steve from Hawk Archers was heard to say before he moved the pegs closer, nice shot on the Meercat!! It was a bit far to begin with before we moved it closer!
All in all, from what everyone has said who shot the course, the shoot was a success, with many a knackered, but contented archer noting on how good a course it was. Thanks here go to the course layers for laying out some technically challenging shots whilst keeping safety paramount! We do listen and indeed welcome all comments on our course, as this only helps to provide a safe, yet challenging couse.
There were some comments on the number of targets, being 42 instead of 40, but we feel that anything less would not have been worthwhile, or to that effect, any different. The course is still the same size, no matter what, and the distances between the targets would not have been any different. Saying this, these comments will be taken on board for a possible additional, smaller shoot sometime next year, adding to our annual shoot.Watch this space!!
On a more serious note, due to our shoot coinciding with the Edward Bright Benefit shoot, we decided that we would make a contribution to the fundrasing being done to help out a tragic plight. We collected donations at the tea tent, and half of all the raffle proceedings went toward helping with this brave young boy's rehabilitation. We can only ponder on this when we are faced with a climb to part of the shoot and think to ourselves on how lucky we all are to even to be able to do this, let alone shoot some arrows! We thank you all for your contributions, and will be sending the raised monies to the Edward Bright fund as soon as humanly possible.
We, at Hawk Archers would like to extend our thanks to all who attended our shoot, climbed the hill, shot our targets and sampled our fayre. Without you events such as these would not be around. Additional thanks go to the course layers, The caterers, The Landowner Rodney for putting up with us, and to everyone else invloved in making the 2nd Hawk Archers shoot such a success.

Don't forget, book early for next year!

See you all at the Champs, where we shall see what we can do on a smaller course!!

On the 16th August 2009, Archers came yet again from far & wide to tackle the Infamous Tal-y-Coed course, with Idris waiting for the challenge.

Around 70 or so archers attended, with the sun shining brightly and the weather for once on our side. The twin trees were there yet again to challenge the brave, and put fear into the weak hearted and this time it really did seem as if the gap had narrowed!!

We settled this year to pu on a 36 target course rather than the full on 40, and this still proved to be both challenging and more relaxed for the competitors, and this year we reversed the course!

This proved to be for the better, as a lot of the archers attending had previously shot the course, and the comments received were encouraging to say the least!

Idris made His usual appearace, albeit the red peg was now placed at 80 or so yards, definitely a challenge for both compound as well as Longbow.

All thanks must, yet again, go to the marvellous catering crew, without whom you would all have not been fed, watered and, undoubtedly, entertained. Yet again they performed an amazing service.

Thanks go to the coarse layers, who put on another blinder of a course.

This will probably be the last time Hawk will put the shoot on at the Tal-Y-Coed farm, as the landowner intends to sell off the land as part of the farm property.

Fear not, for Hawk are already in the stages of obtaining a new course, about a half mile up the road. Suffice to say that we will endeavour to make the new course as challenging as the old!!

 

Full Scores for the shoot can be seen on the pages titled , aptly, SCORES.