At an individual level, archery performance is measured through the Classification and Handicap systems. Both systems are calculated based on your best scores obtained shooting recognised rounds over the course of a season. However, while the two systems are inter-related there are differences between them. To complicate matters, separate classifications and handicaps are maintained for outdoor and indoor target archery (i.e. assuming you shoot both indoors and outdoors you will have two separate classifications and two separate handicaps).
The outdoor season over which handicaps and classifications are calculated follows the calendar year (January-December). The indoor season runs from Summer-to-Summer, reflecting the fact that most indoor rounds are shot over winter. In either case, an archer will not gain a classification or a handicap until they have shot (at least) 3 recognised rounds. The classifications and handicaps are recalculated over the course of a season as you shoot more rounds, and are subject to a final recalculation at the end of the season (this is the only time when your classification / handicap might go down if you have failed to match or improve upon the classification / handicap attained the previous year).
A brief summary of both systems is provided here, to try and provide an introduction for new archers. Full details of the classification system is described in the “Shooting Administrative Procedures” (free to download from here). The full details of the handicap system are currently only available as an addendum which is included with (purchased) hard copies of the Shooting Administrative Procedures. Copies of all the relevant rules / tables are kept in the garage at the field for members to consult during shooting.
Full details of all the Archery GB recognised rounds, including details of which rounds are appropriate for different ages and genders are available in the “Rules of shooting” (a freely available download from here). It should be noted, that for a score to “count” towards your classification or handicap it must have been shot in accordance with Archery GB rules, and the score must have been recorded and countersigned by someone other than the archer claiming the score.
Classifications
For outdoor target archery there are 6 classification levels – 3rd, 2nd, 1st class and Bowman, Master Bowman and Grand Master Bowman (for juniors, up to “junior Bowman” and “Junior Master Bowman”). For indoor target archery, there are also 6 classification levels from “F” up to “A”.
For classification purposes you must shoot rounds that are appropriate for your age and gender, that include a specified number of arrows at (or beyond) certain distances (dependant upon the classification being sought). For example, to attain a “2nd class” outdoor classification a lady must shoot high enough scores in at least 3 rounds that include a distance of at least 50yds or 50m and include at least 4 dozen arrows. For a “Bowman” classification a lady must shoot sufficiently high scores in rounds that include distances of at least 80yds or 70m and include at least 6 dozen arrows.
You must shoot at least 3 qualifying scores to gain a particular classification (so if you shoot three rounds and achieve one 3rd class score, one 2nd class score, and one 1st class score, your classification will still be “3rd class”). In the example above, as you shoot more rounds your classification can progressively improve if you shoot at least two more 2nd (or better) class scores. Over the course of the season, therefore it is possible to improve (but never degrade) your classification.
Classifications from 3rd class up to Bowman are administered at a club-level and the scores can be gained at any shoot (from a club “target day” up to a world record status event). Master Bowman and Grand Master Bowman classifications can only be gained by shooting the required scores at Record Status tournaments. These awards are administered by Archery GB.
Classification Tables – current file dated April 2014
Handicaps
These follow a similar system to the Classification scheme, but provide a finer gradation between levels. The handicaps are calculated in a way that attempts to “normalise” some of the differences between the different rounds so it is possible to approximate equivalent scores between rounds (for example a handicap of 40 equates to a score of between 982-1004 for a “Gents WA1440” round and a score of between 813-839 for a “York” round). However, there are complications that mean that the comparison is not helpful if the distances, scoring system and numbers of arrows shot are not, at least broadly, comparable. Handicaps are also used for some “handicap” competitions, where an archer’s handicap is used to try and level the playing field between new and more experienced archers.
A series of tables are available which, for each recognised round, relate the score achieved to a handicap value (the higher the score, the lower the handicap). The absolute value of handicap is not specific to bow type, gender or age (so a longbow archer with a handicap of 40 will be shooting to a higher standard than a recurve archer with a handicap of 40).
As with classifications you need to shoot at least three rounds to gain a handicap. The initial handicap is calculated based on the handicap values achieved in the first three rounds. Once you have gained your handicap, it is then recalculated according to a specific set of rules, should you shoot a round and achieve a score with a handicap better than your current one. Therefore, it is possible to improve, but never degrade, your handicap over the course of a season.
There are no specific awards associated with specific handicap values (although, assuming you are shooting appropriate rounds, your handicap should correspond with your classification). However, there is an award provided by Archery GB for the male / female archer in each club that improves their (outdoor) handicap by the highest margin over a given year.
Archery Rounds
Imperial Outdoor Rounds (Scoring 9,7,5,3,1)
| Round Name | 100 yds |
80 yds |
60 yds |
50 yds |
40 yds |
30 yds |
20 yds |
Max Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York. | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 1296 | |
| Hereford/Bristol I | – | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | 1296 | |
| Bristol II | – | – | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | – | 1296 | |
| Bristol III | – | – | – | 6 | 4 | 2 | – | 1296 | |
| Bristol IV * | – | – | – | – | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1296 | |
| St.George | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 972 | |
| Albion | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | 972 | |
| Windsor | – | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | – | 972 | |
| Short Windsor | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | 972 | |
| Junior Windsor | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | 972 | |
| New Western | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | 864 | |
| Long Western | – | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 864 | |
| Western | – | – | 4 | 4 | – | – | – | 864 | |
| Short Western | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | – | – | 864 | |
| Junior Western | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | – | 864 | |
| Short Junior Western | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 864 | |
| American | – | – | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | – | – | 810 | |
| St Nicolas | – | – | – | – | 4 | 3 | – | 756 | |
| New National | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 648 | |
| Long National | – | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 648 | |
| National | – | – | 4 | 2 | – | – | – | 648 | |
| Short National | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | – | – | 648 | |
| Junior National | – | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | – | 648 | |
| Short Junior National | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | 648 | |
| New Warwick | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 432 | |
| Long Warwick | – | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 432 | |
| Warwick | – | – | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | 432 | |
| Short Warwick | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | – | – | 432 | |
| Junior Warwick | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | – | 432 | |
| Short Junior Warwick | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 432 |
Metric Outdoor Rounds (Scoring 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1)
| Round Name | 122 cm Target Face | 80 cm Target Face | Max Score | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 mtr |
70 mtr |
60 mtr |
50 mtr |
40 mtr |
30 mtr |
20 mtr |
50 mtr |
40 mtr |
30 mtr |
20 mtr |
15 mtr |
10 mtr |
|||
| WA1440 (Gentlemen) | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | 3 | – | – | – | 1440 | |
| WA1440 (Ladies) | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | 3 | – | – | – | 1440 | |
| Metric II | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | 1440 | |
| Metric III | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | 1440 | |
| Metric IV | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | 3 | 1440 | |
| Metric V * | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 1440 | |
| WA 900 | – | – | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 900 | |
| WA 70m | – | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
| WA 50m compound bows | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Long Metric (Gentlemen) | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Long Metric (Ladies) | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Long Metric II | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Long Metric III | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Long Metric IV | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Long Metric V * | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Short Metric I | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | 3 | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Short Metric II | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | 720 | |
| Short Metric III | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | – | – | 720 | |
| Short Metric IV | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | 3 | 720 | |
| Short Metric V* | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 720 | |
| WA Standard Round *(special rules apply) | – | – | – | 3 | – | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 720 | |
Indoor Rounds (mixture of scoring)
| Rounds | Distance | Face Size | Dozens | Max Score | Special Rules | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery GB Rounds | ||||||
| Bray I | 20 yrds | 40cm | 2.5 | 300 | Full size face only | |
| Bray II | 25 yrds | 60cm | 2.5 | 300 | Full size face only | |
| Stafford | 30 m | 80cm | 6 | 720 | Full size face only | |
| Portsmouth | 20 yrds | 60cm | 5 | 600 | Special face and rules | |
| Vegas | 20 yrds | 40cm | 5 | 600 | Special face and rules | |
| Worcester | 20 yrds | 16in special | 5 | 300 | Special face and rules | |
| World Archery Rounds | ||||||
| WA 18 | 18m | 40cm | 5 | 600 | Full size or three spot face | |
| WA 25 | 25m | 40cm | 5 | 600 | Full size or three spot face | |
| WA Combined | 18 & 25m | 40 & 60cm | 10 | 1200 | Full size or three spot face |