Quesnel River Archers members had a pair of fun shoots at their indoor facility on Reid Street on Dec. 16.
The place was packed for the younger shooters and likely it would be busy for the adult archers, too.
Like most archery events, there was a buzz of activity highlighted by happy chatter and laughter.
However, it was calm and serious as soon as the target shooting took place because safety in the No. 1 rule for the club.
It was a friendly competition with prizes being candies.
The Quesnel Observer set up interviews with a long-time archer and a rookie enthusiast.
Bryson Watson
The 16-year-old has been shooting with the Quesnel River Archers for 12 years.
Noting that his grandfather own’s Watson Custom Archery Supplies in Red Bluff, Bryson says his whole family shoots, “so it’s kind of been bred into me.”
However, Bryson took a six-year break from archery and just got back into the sport last year.
“Right now, I’m shooting my compound and bare bow recurve.”
Bryson will be competing 15-16 years class in the BC Winter Games in Kamloops on Feb. 22-25.
Noting he hasn’t competed in the games before, Bryson says he’s “hoping to do my best when I’m there.”
He does a lot of practising with both his compound and recurve bow.
“I shoot at home. I shoot down here [indoor facility] and I shoot at my grampa’s house. I shoot everyday.
“My grampa has helped me so much. I can’t thank him enough.”
Alison Dewling
The 14-year-old Quesnel Junior School student just started archery this year and she loves it.
“I kind of tried other sports and I hadn’t tried this one before and my mom pointed it out to me. I tried it and I just went from there.”
Alison says she is moving along nicely as she tries to get the archery fundamentals down.
“I’m working on my release and getting that motion behind my head, which is hard to do.”
She uses her fingers to release because she shoots with a recurve bow.
Noting she uses a club bow, Alison says she’s saving her money to get her own bow.