COLCHESTER and District Archery Club won a hat-trick of gold medals at their 12th Bill Tucker Memorial Shoot.

More than 50 archers from 18 clubs competed at the annual event at Colchester Rugby Club, held in honour of the club’s founder member.

The weather was extremely challenging for the archers, with heavy rain in the morning and strong winds in the afternoon.

But the archers all stayed the course, shooting from 10am to 5pm. And they were rewarded for their efforts with some very good scores.

Colchester & District Archery Club’s Claire Morris won the Ladies’ Recurve Cup, less than a year after joining the club.

Club president Lynette Fisher won the Ladies’ Long Bow, Hereford round. And club chairman Kevin Bailey made it a treble of golds for the home club by winning the Gents’ Long Bow, Western round.

Colchester’s Edward Reeves collected silver in the Gents’ Recurve, York round, while James and Anna King (both Master Bowmen), took silver in their respective Compound bow classes.

Innis Jephcott (Long Bow, York), Steve Morris (Bare Bow, York), Mike Huard (Recurve, Western) and Ian Smith (Long Bow, Western) also all took silver.

The competition helped Colchester & District Archery Club, who celebrated their diamond anniversary last year, keep their good name in the foreground of Essex archery.