After a very successful World Championship campaign Namoi Valley Archers competitors had just one rest day before launching into the 2011 Australian ABA Championships at Wagga Wagga. The championships were held over two days with competitors shooting 2 rounds each day. The Gunnedah club had it’s biggest ever representation at an Australian tournament with 27 archers competing bringing home an amazing 10 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze medals in a dominating performance.

Wade Hudson backed up his World championship success to win the elite Masters Compound division with a brilliant 54 point margin. Hudson, the defending champion, stamped his authority on the event from the first round to score an imposing win. Hudson has show incredible mental composure over 6 days of competition in both the World Bowhunter and Australian Championships refusing to allow the weigh of expectations or the pressure of the big occasion affect his performance. Hudson made it double gold as a member of the winning Northern NSW Branch outfit in the Branch Teams competition.

Ken Thompson scored the gold in Freestyle Recurve with a top class performance over four rounds to score a big win.

Wendi Murrell was ecstatic with her first Australian gold medal after winning the Compound B grade event by 26 points. Murrell has been the big improver at club events over the last few months and with this performance must be on the verge of a well earned promotion to A grade.

Phillip Greenwood also showed fine form to take the gold in the Veteran Barebow event. Greg Scott scored a fine silver medal at his first Australian Championships finishing just 4 points from top spot in an ultra competitive Bowhunter Unlimited contest.

Bronze medals went to Darrell Hudson in Recurve A grade, Ann Stubbs in Compound A grade and Mark Stevenson in Longbow C grade.

The club’s junior archers performed extremely well with Sebastian Donovan bouncing back from equipment problems to win the Junior Freestyle Unlimited Flight 1 gold medal with Zac Hayne taking silver in Flight 2 missing the gold by just 2 points with Lachlan Scott in third.

Shane Thompson continued his superb World Championships form to claim the Australian title in Junior Freestyle Recurve with Bonnie Hayne winning the Junior Freestyle Limited event.

Jarrod Stubbs showed incredible courage to take the silver in Junior Compound A grade using crutches to walk between targets after an accident had threatened to derail his campaign. Stubbs also claimed a well earned gold as part of the winning Northern NSW Junior team.

Haylee Murrell scored a big win in Cub Girls Compound B grade with club mate, Stacey Scott, finishing third. Sister act, Kaytlyn and Emylie Murrell scored a 1-2 finish in the Cub D grade Compound event.

Sophie Donovan rounded off a wonderful week of competition claiming the Australian title in Cub Freestyle Limited shooting very consistently over the four round tournament