Competing Today

Nowadays archers shoot at a flag set in the ground at distances of 7 score yards for ladies and 9 score yards for gentlemen. Juniors shoot at shorter distances. A clout consists of six ends of six arrows and competitions are for single clout and double clout. Six sighter arrows are shot in each direction when shooting two ways. Scoring is done by measuring the distance the arrow is from the flag. An arrow within 18 inches of the flag scores 5 points (also called a clout), within 3 feet scores 4 points, within 6 feet scores 3 points, within 9 feet scores 2 points and within 12 feet scores 1 point.

Scoring

One archer rotates a coloured cord or tape looped around the flag and assistants collect all the arrows which are in a particular 'colour'. The arrows are then placed in distinct groups on the appropriate section of the scoring cord and the competitors call their scores, picking up their arrows as they do so.

In a clout competition, there are two possible trajectories at which an arrow can be shot so as to land on the target, one high and one low. Although longbow archers may shoot either, recurve and compound archers must shoot the lower trajectory for safety reasons. It is also a condition of entry to all competitions that every archer must have received instruction for clout shooting prior to the competition. The dangers of overshooting, especially with a powerful compound bow are self evident.

Clout competitions can be of two types, one-way where the archer always shoots from the same end and two-way where the archer starts from one end, shoots their six arrows and then carries their bow to the other end and shoots back. This practice was once used for target archery as well but has now completely died out except for clout. In windy conditions it can make for a very tricky competition but in some ways that is the appeal of two-way clout.

There are also FITA clout competitions and these are always one-way. In a FITA Clout the target is much larger with arrows scoring 5 points if within 1.5 meters of the flag, 4 points if within 3 meters and so on. In FITA Clouts, ladies shoot 145m for longbow and recurve whilst compound shoot at 165m. Gentlemen longbow and recurve shoot at 165m whilst compound shoot at 185m. There are moves afoot for an award scheme for FITA clout events but the details have not been worked out yet.

Records

GNAS keep records for both one-way and two-way clout and double clout. Ladies are also allowed to shoot the gentlemen's distances. There are also records maintained for junior gentlemen and ladies under 18, under 16 and for junior gentlemen under 14 and under 12 whilst junior ladies have only the under 13 age group. Records are kept for longbow, recurve, recurve barebow, compound limited and compound unlimited. The recurve barebow has only been introduced recently and is starting to be very popular.

The GNAS National Clout championships are held at Harrogate during October and can attract up to 100 archers from all over the country. You can also claim Tassel Badges and a Six Clout Badge from the GNAS Northern Counties award scheme for clout.

GNAS also keep records for the FITA Clout however there are no World Records since it has proved impossible to standardise the scoring systems and course layout amongst all the member countries of FITA. For example Australia and New Zealand use a 10 point scoring system.

This page contributed by Heather Urquhart (Loreburn Archers)