Jon Bull of Targetcraft Archers (Junior Compound Cadet), last outdoor season achieved GB qualification scores which enabled him to be included in the GB Compound selection shoot taking place on 31st March and 1st April 2012. Prior to this shoot he was also invited to join the GB junior compound squad and has attended two weekend camps at Lilleshall.
The first of these sessions was held in the indoor facility, a 70m range with seperate meeting room. They started by shooting an individual 50m Round. Jon scored 658. This was followed by talks on what its like to represent Great Britain at International Shoots, drug testing and equipment requirements. They then practiced Team and mixed head to heads as this is the format for the forthcomming European Junior Championships being held in Denmark.
The second session was held in the “POD”! This is an amazing facility. At the push of some buttons heaters come on over the Archers, roller shutters rise allowing the Archers to remain warm standing inside and shooting outwards to targets 50m away. There is also the tech room. In here there are camera’s above and at both sides of the archers linked to time delay monitors which allow both the archer and coaches to evaluate each shot. Again the format for the weekend was similar to the first session with an individual 50m round being shot. Jon shot 668.
Between the second Squad session and the selection shoot itself Jon practiced every day at 50m, wrecked arrows and put everything his coaches at EMAS and Custom Built Archery had helped him with.
Then came the selection shoot itself. The glorious weather of the previous week had of course dissapeared as soon as the bows came out of the bag! The shoot was for both Senior and Junior Archers and was attended by Duncan Busby, Liam Grimwood and Chris White to name but a few.
The format was on day 1 to shoot two 50m ranking rounds. Jon shot 677 in the first and 681in the second. He won both rounds and took a 19 point lead over second place and 41 points over third.Jon’s scores have been put forward for a National Record.
The second day was a “round Robin” of head to heads with each score being added to the previous day total with an additional 2 points per win. Each head to head consisted of a 15 arrow pass, Jon scored 143, 138, 144 and 144 winning two and losing two matches.
Three of the 5 junior cadets will travel to Denmark for the European Championships and Croatia for the Europa cup
With the scores added the GB Team for 2012 was announced. Jon had won the Junior Cadet section and with it the trips to Denmark and Croatia. He had also achieved the Junior qualification scores and wil be invited to he 2013 selection shoot and the possibility of representing Team GB at the World Junior Championships in China.
The weekend was a pretty amazing experience (if extremely nerve racking for parents) but one which wont be forgotton. We would like to thank all the Northants archers for their support and good wishes which has been much appreciated.
