The Virgin Islands Field Archery Federation (VIFAF) was represented over the weekend by junior archer Ava Ghiorse Robinson, who competed in her first major UK outdoor target archery tournament at the Brontë Archers World Record Status competition, held at Rawdon Meadows in Apperley Bridge.
Ava arrived in the UK on Thursday evening and, with the move to longer competition distances, underwent several significant equipment changes, including new limbs, arrows, bow string, riser, and stabiliser. Following a visit to Merlin Archery in Burton-on-Trent to finalise her setup, she had just one evening practice session at Brontë Archers before competition began the following morning.
Saturday saw Ava take on the demanding WA1440, shooting 144 arrows across distances of 60, 50, 40, and 30 metres in the Under-18 Women’s Recurve category. The event marked her first time competing at 60 metres and presented an immediate test of her ability to adapt to a completely new bow configuration.
Her experience in field archery proved invaluable, teaching her to understand her equipment, adapt to changing conditions, and make adjustments as needed. These skills allowed her to troubleshoot and adjust her setup on the spot throughout the weekend.
On Sunday, Ava competed in the WA720 qualification round and Head-to-Head tournament. Shooting 72 arrows at 60 metres, she recorded a qualification score that did not reflect her best with all the recent changes. This included four 10s and one X, and went on to finish second overall in the Under-18 Women’s Recurve category.
Reflecting on the experience, Ava said:
“Throughout the Brontë competition, I faced a variety of hurdles and successes, each stemming from my impulsive decision to enter a competition just one day after arriving in England—with a new bow setup four pounds heavier than my previous draw weight, while sleep-deprived, and with no prior experience shooting at 60 metres.
The biggest challenges came from adapting to the new equipment and conditions at 60 metres. I knew the new equipment would be a challenge, but I had not anticipated extremely windy conditions, with winds reaching approximately 18 knots. Combined with an unfamiliar setup, this made it much harder to dial in at 60 metres.
Fatigue also hit me much harder than I anticipated. Towards the end of both competition days, I had to ignore the urge to stop and overcome my perfectionist ways in order to push through and finish.
The main lesson for me was that, even when the odds are stacked against you, sometimes the best thing you can do is try. People often look at archery as people competing against other people. In reality, it has always been, and will always be, you shooting against yourself. Your ‘opponent’ cannot do anything to you. It is your job to shoot the best shots you can, and the only obstacle is your own ability to get in the way of yourself. This is the mindset I continually try to develop, as positivity in the face of such a self-critical sport can be a surprising asset.”
The weekend marked an important step in Ava’s development, providing valuable experience in long-distance target competition, equipment adjustment and head-to-head match play, while also allowing her to build friendships with fellow junior archers.
VIFAF National Coach Ritseeniyah Georges praised Ava’s performance:
“This weekend was never about chasing a personal best. Ava was competing with an entirely new bow setup that she had less than 12 hours to adjust to before stepping onto the shooting line. Under those circumstances, her determination, adaptability and positive attitude were far more important than the score itself. To finish second in her category while learning a completely new setup speaks volumes about her potential. The experience she gained this weekend will provide a strong foundation as she continues her development in international target archery.”
Despite the demanding circumstances, Ava demonstrated determination, resilience and adaptability, gaining experience that will serve her well as she continues to develop as a competitive archer.