1066-1966 Archery Tournament
By Marcel Le Masson
JERSEY AND ITS connections with Normandy are well known, concrete proof of this was found when the Jersey Archery Society paid their first visit to ‘Valognes’, a small town situated close by Cherbourg in the centre of the Normandy countryside, that Valognes suffered badly when the allied forces landed on the nearby coast is clearly marked by the almost newly built Town Centre, a focal point being the clean stone of the not yet completed church contrasting against the darker older buildings which form a shopping centre round a neat and tidy kept square.
The Jersey party of ten archers led by Honorary Secretary Roy Moody, travelled by air to Dinard then using three cars drove via St. Malo and Avranche straight up the peninsular at speeds unusual to Jersey drivers used to the forty mile limit, the complete drive was accomplished in a little under three hours. Upon arrival at Valognes the party were welcomed by Monsieur Jacques Daubuch, President of the town’s Archery Society and Chamber of Commerce the body responsible for sponsoring the tournament.
By Marcel Le Masson
JERSEY AND ITS connections with Normandy are well known, concrete proof of this was found when the Jersey Archery Society paid their first visit to ‘Valognes’, a small town situated close by Cherbourg in the centre of the Normandy countryside, that Valognes suffered badly when the allied forces landed on the nearby coast is clearly marked by the almost newly built Town Centre, a focal point being the clean stone of the not yet completed church contrasting against the darker older buildings which form a shopping centre round a neat and tidy kept square.
The Jersey party of ten archers led by Honorary Secretary Roy Moody, travelled by air to Dinard then using three cars drove via St. Malo and Avranche straight up the peninsular at speeds unusual to Jersey drivers used to the forty mile limit, the complete drive was accomplished in a little under three hours. Upon arrival at Valognes the party were welcomed by Monsieur Jacques Daubuch, President of the town’s Archery Society and Chamber of Commerce the body responsible for sponsoring the tournament.
After spending a very comfortable night at the Agriculture Hotel the party awakened to find the main streets of the town sprouting gaily decorated poles that marked the route of the May Queen procession to take place later in the day. In the meantime a group of French Horn Blowers dressed in hunting colours visited almost every street corner and played their fanfares.
Archery ranges had been set up at the Bourgneuf Municipal Stadium de Valognes, the first shoot was against local French archers and teams from other areas including Monsieur C. Boulanger seven times champion of all France and winner of this tournament, each member paired with an opposite then shot forty arrows at fifty metres, a distance not normally used by the Jersey archers.
Scoring was by number of hits, so close grouping counted heavily, rafter a number of sighting shots the Jersey archers settled down and soon began to make an impression of their French hosts.
A very highly regarded personage at the celebrations was Monsieur De Brerill, Minister of State without portfolio who arrived with an escort of smart white helmeted outriders and convoy of fast Citron State Saloons, Monsieur De Brerill played an important part in the independence negotiations with Algeria.
At the now crowded stadium the procession disbanded; here, on a special stage, the bands, dancers, singers and French horn blowers entertained the capacity audience whilst the archers in colourful green, red and black mediaeval- style jerkins shot with friendly competition against each other in a balloon shoot.
The amazing accuracy of the shots brought gasps of amazement and surprise from the audience numbering well over three thousand.
All too soon the afternoon entertainment came to a close, but competition for the Jersey archers continued when they tried their hands in the dogem cars at the fair going full swing during the evening.
A return visit from Valogne by the French archers has been suggested next September. After such a successful visit the Jersey Archery Society has forged very strong links with a town steeped in the history of 1066 and all that.
All too soon the afternoon entertainment came to a close, but competition for the Jersey archers continued when they tried their hands in the dogem cars at the fair going full swing during the evening.
A return visit from Valogne by the French archers has been suggested next September. After such a successful visit the Jersey Archery Society has forged very strong links with a town steeped in the history of 1066 and all that.
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