Valentin Zaharebelnyj of Ciboney Centre for Excellence, left, and Kasadiyah Baird of BVI Seventh-day Adventist School, right, emerged the overall winners of the 2025 National Archery in the Schools Programme (NASP) Nationals held at A.O. Shirley Grounds on Sunday, May 4, 2025. Photo: VIFAF

Student archers participate in the first ever IBO 3D Competition at the NASP Nationals in the Virgin Islands. Photo: VIFAF

Sheylon Brown of Ciboney Centre for Excellence won himself a $2,100 scholarship in the scholarship round at the 2025 NASP Nationals on May 4, 2025. Photo: VIFAF

Ava Ghiorse of Cedar International was the top female archer in the scholarship round. Photo: VIFAF

The female winners of the IBO 3D Archery Competition. Photo: VIFAF

The male winners of the IBO 3D Archery Competition. Photo: VIFAF

The tournament was held in collaboration with the Virgin Islands Field Archery Federation (VIFAF) and was also graced with the presence of Minister for Education Youth Affairs and Sports, Hon Sharie B. de Castro (AL) and Deputy Speaker Hon Stacy R. Mather (AL), who both assisted at the presentation ceremony.

Zaharebelnyj scored 256 out of a possible 300 points for High School Boys, while Baird scored 255 for High School Girls in the Bullseye Competition.

Second and third for High School Boys were Nicolas Moore (254 points) and Sheylon Brown (253), respectively, both of Ciboney Centre for Excellence.

Second and third for High School Girls were Ava Ghiorse (247) and Ashleigh Hearne (242), respectively, of Cedar International School.

Other Division winners

Prevailing in the Boys Elementary Division was Cy Frett of Ciboney Centre for Excellence.

The winner in the Boys Middle School Division was Henry Clifton of Cedar International School.

The champion in the Girls Middle School Division was Alleina Potter of Cedar International School.

Apart from being crowned Division champions, each top archer received a trophy and a Genesis Championship Bow.

Top 5 Shooters – Scholarship Qualifiers

Meanwhile, based on the overall point standings, the top five male and female archers advanced to the Scholarship Shoot-Off for cash prizes.

Top 5 Boys:
1st: Valentin Zaharebelnyj – 256
2nd: Nicolas Moore – 254
3rd: Sheylon Brown – 253
4th: Blyden Aldridge (St George’s Secondary) – 242
5th: Henry Clifton – 237

Top 5 Girls:
1st: Kasadiyah Baird – 255
2nd: Ava Ghiorse – 247
3rd: Ashleigh Hearne – 242
4th: Jene Barnwell (BVI SDA School) – 237
5th: Malia Connell (St George’s Secondary) – 233

All finalists received plaques and competed for cash awards in the Scholarship Shoot-Off.

Scholarship Shoot-Off Results

Girls – Cash Awards
1st: Ava Ghiorse – $2,100
2nd: Jene Barnwell – $1,500
3rd: Ashleigh Hearne – $1,080
4th: Malia Connell – $720
5th: Kasadiyah Baird – $600

Boys – Cash Awards
1st: Sheylon Brown – $2,100
2nd: Valentin Zaharebelnyj – $1,500
3rd: Henry Clifton – $1,080
4th: Nicolas Moore – $720
5th: Blyden Aldridge – $600

Scholarship funds will be paid directly to each student’s chosen tertiary-level institution.

IBO 3D Competition

Following the Bullseye event, interested students participated in the International Bowhunting Organization (IBO) 3D Challenge, shooting at six different 3D animal targets (five arrows per station). It was the first time that the 3D Competition was held at the NASP Nationals. The 3D targets included a rubber bear, turkey, ram, deer and coyote.

The results were:

3D Boys Results:
1st: Blyden Aldridge– 225
2nd: Keandre Matthew (BVI SDA School) – 223
3rd: Oshane Mason (BVI SDA School) – 221

3D Girls Results:
1st: Kasadiyah Baird – 253
2nd: Jene Barnwell – 228
3rd: Ava Ghiorse – 228 (Barnwell placed higher due to more 10s scored)

3D Cash Prizes:
• 1st place: $750
• 2nd place: $450
• 3rd place: $300

Sponsors

Sponsors for the NASP Nationals included Caribbean Security, Kobre and Kim and Unite BVI, who sponsored the scholarship awards.

Timothy deSwardt and Mark Rowlands of Kobre & Kim sponsored the other prizes.

This year marks the 9th anniversary of NASP operations in the Virgin Islands and its first collaboration with the Virgin Islands Field Archery Federation.

The organisers say they now look forward to celebrating the 10th Anniversary in 2026 with an even grander event.