BCAA Triumph in the 25/2026 Indoor Inter‑County Match Against NCAS

Bedfordshire County Archery Association (BCAA) secured a hard‑fought and well‑deserved victory in the 2026 Indoor Inter‑County Match, overcoming Northamptonshire County Archery Society (NCAS) in a closely contested Portsmouth round held on Sunday 1st March at Manor School and Sports College. The final tally saw BCAA finish on 7255 points, ahead of NCAS on 7108 points, sealing the indoor county title for Bedfordshire. The event brought together archers from both counties across all bowstyles and age groups, with every score contributing to the overall team result. The match was hosted by Archers of Raunds, with Tony Parkin acting as Tournament Officer. Recurve: Strong Performances Across the BoardBCAA opened the day with a commanding showing in the recurve divisions, edging NCAS by a narrow margin — 2781 to 2747. In the senior women’s category, Sarah Russell led the Bedfordshire charge with an impressive 565 (60 hits, 31 tens), closely followed by Heather Mason on 562. Their consistency proved vital, especially against NCAS’s Mandy Parkier, who posted a strong 547. The junior women’s recurve squad also delivered crucial points. Daisy Hyde shot a superb 551, with Isabelle Mason close behind on 546, helping BCAA secure a valuable lead early in the match. Compound: A Tight BattleThe compound division was fiercely contested, with NCAS narrowly taking the category 1634 to 1615. Despite this, BCAA’s compound archers put in determined performances. Lesley Brown led the Bedfordshire women with a solid 559, while Scott Wadsworth delivered one of the standout scores of the entire match — a superb 586 with 46 tens — keeping BCAA firmly in contention. Barebow: A Decisive Advantage for BedfordshireBarebow proved to be one of BCAA’s strongest categories, securing a significant win 2034 to 1928. In the senior women’s division, Illaria Knibb produced an exceptional 543, one of the highest barebow scores of the day. Junior archer Nicole Henniker added a strong 504, while in the men’s category, David Erwood (496) and Thomas Foster (491) contributed valuable points to widen the county’s lead. Traditional: Bedfordshire Edge AheadThe traditional bow category also swung in BCAA’s favour, with a final score of 825 to 799. Matt Berry delivered a standout longbow performance for Bedfordshire, shooting 471 with 12 tens — one of the most impressive longbow scores of the match. Lorraine Bennett added 354 in the women’s division, helping secure another category win. A Well‑Earned County VictoryWith strong results across recurve, barebow, and traditional, and competitive performances in compound, BCAA built a lead that NCAS could not close. The final combined total — BCAA 7255 to NCAS 7108 — reflects a consistent, team‑wide effort from Bedfordshire archers at every level. This victory also follows the county’s call for indoor score submissions earlier in the season, encouraging archers across Bedfordshire to take part in shaping the county team. The result is a testament to that depth of participation and the strength of the county’s clubs. BCAA extend their thanks to Archers of Raunds for hosting, to all archers who represented their counties, and to the volunteers who made the event possible.