Who determines what medals, trophies, etc are presented at a shoot?

The organiser, with the agreement of the club, region or association for whom s/he is acting. This includes:

• which of the recognised bowstyles will get a medal or trophy (eg will there be a separate award for longbow, or for recurve barebow);
• whether there will be novice, class or team awards, and how they will be allocated;
• whether there will be visitors awards, and how they will be allocated;
• how junior awards will be allocated (eg separate age groups or one overall award);
• “no competition, no award” policy (ie will an award be made if there is only one archer in a division and if so, will it be subject, for example, to attaining a minimum score/handicap?)

So a shoot doesn’t have to have medals or trophies for every bowstyle entered?

No – I repeat, it is at the discretion of the organiser.

What about things like FITA Stars, Rose awards, classifications and records?

These are completely independent of the awards presented by the shoot itself and are not determined by the organiser.  They are determined by the awarding body, usually GNAS or FITA.  If the shoot is of the required status, and your setup complies, these awards are available, by right, according to the Rules of Shooting.

How do entrants know what medals, trophies etc  will be available?

The entry form should state what awards are available (or sometimes, for clarity, are not available), covering all the points above.  Organisers should not assume that ‘everyone knows’ because, as recent experience has shown they don’t!

What bowstyles are permitted?

Under GNAS rules ONLY the following bowstyles are recognised for target archery, indoors and outdoors (Rule 303, Rule 400)

• Recurve Freestyle – the normal recurve setup as defined in Rule 202.
• Recurve Barebow – as defined in Rule 204, but essentially any bow that is neither a compound nor a longbow, with no sights and no stabilisers. 
• Longbow – as defined in Rule206. Only the traditional British longbow is included in this style. It excludes flatbows of any sort, any bow with fibreglass (or similar) laminations, and any bow with recurved limbs.
• Compound – the normal compound setup, including optical scope and a release aid, as defined in Rule 207.

FITA Standard Bow (in effect a training bow) is also permitted, but only in special Standard Bow shoots.

What about Compound Barebow and Recurve Traditional?

Compound Barebow and Recurve Traditional are not recognised as separate styles for target shoots, only for field shoots. In target shoots recurves shot in the ‘traditional’ manner are Recurve Barebow.

…  Flatbows?

Flatbows are in the Recurve Barebow category.

But they aren’t recurves…

But they do conform to Rule 202, which describes any bow which has “…two flexible limbs ending in a tip with a string nock” and is “… braced for use by a single string…”, ie is not a compound.  Despite the name of the bowstyle, this Rule says nothing at all about the shape of the limbs.

… Mongolian bows , Hungarian bows, Scythian bows, or Japanese Kyudo bows?

All the Asian-type bows (‘horsebows') and virtually all other traditional-type bows, including the Japanese yumi are Recurve Barebow, along with ‘longbows’ with recurved limbs. If it hasn’t got wheels, hasn’t got sights and hasn’t got stabilisers, it is, by default a Recurve Barebow.

Are there separate classes (1st Class, BM, MB etc) for Barebow

GNAS define separate classes for each of the recognised bowstyles, but it is, as said before, up to the organiser what awards are made.

FITA don’t recognise anything other than Compound and Recurve: are the other bow styles recognised in a FITA round?

Yes, the four target bowstyles are fully recognised in all shoots, up to and including National Championship and UK Record level, regardless of the round being shot. Even in World Record Status shoots we shoot under GNAS regulations with the addition of elements of FITA rules (Rule 310), so all target styles can take part. However, since FITA stars and World records are governed by FITA, not GNAS there are no separate categories of FITA Stars and World Records for anything other than Recurve and Compound.

To clarify this point, because it is an important one and often misunderstood, let’s assume you are shooting an American Flatbow, in Scotland in a Gents FITA.

You CAN, if the status of shoot (FITA Star, UK Record Status etc) permits:

• Shoot as Recurve Barebow
• Win specific Barebow medals or trophies if they are available (organiser’s discretion)
• Win Recurve medals or trophies if you have entered as Recurve, or no separate Barebow awards are available
• Claim a Recurve FITA Star
• Claim Barebow Scottish and UK records (see GNAS website)
• Claim a Recurve World Record – in theory at least!

You CAN’T:

• Claim a Barebow World Record or FITA Star – there is no such thing.

If I want to, can I choose to enter in a higher category?   For instance enter my Flatbow or Mongolian as a conventional Recurve.

Yes. You always have the choice of entering ‘up a style’.

If I do, am I still eligible for medals and trophies for the lower bowstyle?

That is at the organiser’s discretion, but usually, no – you compete in the style you have chosen.

What about FITA Stars, classifications, records etc for the lower style?

They are still open to you in the lower style, provided your set-up etc complies in every respect.

This page contributed by Alan Walker (Penicuik Archers)