Irish Field Archery Federation

The home of Field Archery in Ireland

Competing at the World and European Bowhunter Championships

The essential information for those competing at the World and European Bowhunter Championships

Powerpoint version

General Information

ARCHER PREREQUISITS

  • IFAA affiliation
    • Is your membership paid-up?
  • Do you have an IFAA Classification-Scorecard?
    • Every archer must have at least TWO scores for IFAA Animal rounds (or similar) to demonstrate experience of those rounds
    • IFAF’s Classification cards are issued by the International Rep (international@ifaf.ie)
  • Event registration

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

  • Passport / National ID Card
    • Is your travel document in date?
  • EHIC Card & Travel Insurance
    • Apply for an EHIC card online
    • Purchase travel insurance
  • Flights &/or Ferry
  • Accommodation
  • Car hire vs. Airport transfer
    • Do you have a FULL driving licence?
    • Are there shuttle services at the site?

Registration & Bow-check

PAPERWORK TO PRESENT

  • Documents
    • IFAF Membership card
    • IFAA Classification-Scorecard
      • Classification is for Field & Hunter only.
      • Scorecard is for Animal rounds only.
      • Archers must add IFAA 3D rounds scores to their Classification-Scorecard when competing at IFAA Bowhunter tournaments
  • Photo ID
    • It is becoming common practice to  be asked for proof of age at Registration
  • Forms
    • Fill-out two (2) copies of the bow-check form
      • Forms can be available online but generally they are printed sheets available on-site.

EQUIPMENT TO PRESENT

  • Bow
    • Compounds will be speed-checked
    • Marks considered sighting aids will be covered by the bow checkers
  • Arrows
    • Arrows must be numbered 1, 2 & 3 using rings, near to the fletches
  • Tabs
    • No marks to aid shooting allowed
  • Binoculars
    • It is standard practice to bring binoculars to bow-check at all IFAA tournaments
    • Only binoculars with a bow-check sticker can be used on the range (i.e. they have been verified as being non-range-finding)

Event Schedule

TIMETABLE BREAK-DOWN

  • Day 1-4: Bow-check & Registration
    • Bow-check & registration open
    • Practice Range open (inc. day 5 – 9)
    • IFAA delegates meeting
      • Information specific to the tournament is issued for recirculation by delegates to their national members
  • Day 4: Parade of Nations & Opening Ceremony
    • All nations march through local town Speeches and welcome by officials
  • Day 5 – 9: Competition
    • 4 days of shooting over 5 days
    • Unmarked Animal (3 arrow) x2
    • Standard 3D (2 arrow) x1
    • 3D Hunting (1 arrow) x1
  • Day 10: Banquet & Awards Ceremony
    • Awards are presented the day after the tournament has completed to allow for any mistakes to be corrected
    • The banquet must be pre-booked. Ticket price €10 – €20, approx.
    • Following the awards there is usually a band to provide entertainment

IFAA Rounds

UNMARKED ANIMAL (3 arrow)

Group 1

  • 6 targets per range
  • Adult: Three 5 yard walk-ups set between 60 – 40 yd
  • Junior: 3 arrows from the 3rd adult peg
  • Cub: Three 5 yard walk-ups, peg 1 set at max. 30 yd

Group 2

  • 6 targets per range
  • Adult: Three 3 yard walk-ups set between 45 – 30 yd
  • Junior: Shoot ‘Adult’ distances
  • Cub: Single peg set at max. 25 yd

Group 3

  • 8 targets per range
  • Adult: Single peg set between 35 – 20 yd
  • Junior: Shoot ‘Adult’ distances
  • Cub: Single peg set at max. 20 yd

Group 4

  • 8 targets per range
  • Adult: Single peg set between 20 – 10 yd
  • Junior: Shoot ‘Adult’ distances
  • Cub: Single peg set at max. 10 yd

3D STANDARD (2 arrow)

Group 1

  • 6 targets per range
  • 2 shooting positions (peg)
  • Adult: 60 yd (max)
  • Junior: 50 yd (max)
  • Cub: 30 yd (max)

Group 2

  • 6 targets per range
  • 2 shooting positions (peg)
  • Adult: 45 yd (max)
  • Junior: 45 yd (max)
  • Cub: 25 yd (max)

Group 3

  • 8 targets per range
  • 2 shooting positions (peg)
  • Adult: 35 yd (max)
  • Junior: 35 yd (max)
  • Cub: 20 yd (max)

Group 4

  • 8 targets per range
  • 2 shooting positions (peg)
  • Adult: 20 yd (max)
  • Junior: 20 yd (max)
  • Cub: 10 yd (max)

3D HUNTING (1 arrow)

Group 1

  • 6 targets per range
  • 1 shooting position (peg)
  • Adult: 60 yd (max)
  • Junior: 50 yd (max)
  • Cub: 30 yd (max)

Group 2

  • 6 targets per range
  • 1 shooting position (peg)
  • Adult: 45 yd (max)
  • Junior: 45 yd (max)
  • Cub: 25 yd (max)

Group 3

  • 8 targets per range
  • 1 shooting position (peg)
  • Adult: 35 yd (max)
  • Junior: 35 yd (max)
  • Cub: 20 yd (max)

Group 4

  • 8 targets per range
  • 1 shooting position (peg)
  • Adult: 20 yd (max)
  • Junior: 20 yd (max)
  • Cub: 10 yd (max)

SCORING

Unmarked Animal

  • 1st Arrow
    • KILL: 20 points
    • WOUND: 18 points
  • 2nd Arrow
    • KILL: 16 points
    • WOUND: 14 points
  • 3rd Arrow
    • KILL: 12 points
    • WOUND: 10 points
UAR scoring zones

3D Standard

  • KILL: 10 points
  • VITAL: 8 points
  • WOUND: 5 points

3D Hunting

  • KILL: 20 points
  • VITAL: 16 points
  • WOUND: 10 points
Standard round scoring zones

On the Range

WHAT TO BRING

  • Scorecards
    • Bring the correct scorecard for the round being shot
  • Range vouchers
    • Money is NOT accepted on the course, you must buy pre-paid vouchers to purchase food.
  • Equipment
    • Bow, arrows, binoculars, spares!
  • Essentials
    • Clothing for all seasons, hat, portable seat, sun cream, bug-spray!
  • Refreshments
    • Bring a bag with food and drink in it.
      • Food is generally available, but location(s) can be some distance from where you start shooting from.
  • Water
    • Courses have free bottled water provided at regular intervals
  • Smoking
    • Smoking, including  E-Cigarettes, is NOT allowed on the course, only at designated food stops

RULES and ETIQUETTE

  • Group position/role assigned
    • The ordering of names in the group determines role (cannot be changed)
      • #1: Target Captain
      • #2: First Scorer
      • #3: Second Scorer
      • #4: Arrow Puller
      • #5 (or greater): No role assigned. General etiquette is to look for arrows
  • Target Captain’s job
    • monitor shooting rotation
    • settle all local questions
    • manage back-logs/shoot throughs
  • Scoring disputes
    • In the case of a dispute, the majority opinion of the other archers in the group decides on the score. Period.
  • Pegs
    • All adults: Yellow
    • Juniors: Blue
    • Cubs: Black
  • Targets
    • At each target a notice board will provide details about the target:
Target info
  • Shooting
    • Archers MUST shoot in pairs
      • A/B: Target Captain / First Scorer
      • C/D: Second Scorer / Arrow Puller
      • E/F: Archer 5 / Archer 6
    • Archers MUST rotate shooting order after each target (Exec note):
      • First target: (A+B)/(C+D)/(E+F);
      • Second target: (C+D)/(E+F)/(A+B);
      • Third target: (E+F)/(A+B)/(C+D);
      • Forth target: (A+B)/(C+D)/(E+F), etc.
    • Archers MUST rotate shooting position rule: 1-14 LEFT: A/B, C/D, E/F & 15-28 RIGHT: B/A, D/C, F/E
  • Unclear/unsafe shot rule
    • You are entitled to shoot a target singly if you feel you do not have a clear shot of the target or your footing is not sound.
  • Foot placement rule:
    • (1) Single marker lay-out: No archer shall shoot from in front of the appropriate marker. One foot shall not be more than six inches behind or a maximum of three feet to either side of such marker. For all Animal rounds, marked or unmarked, there shall be two markers.
    • (2) Double marker lay-out: No archer shall shoot from in front of the appropriate marker. One foot shall touch or not be more than six inches behind or to either side of such marker.
  • Sequence of arrows shot rule
    • DO shoot arrows in numerical order
    • If you shoot out of sequence by mistake advise the Target Captain immediately. DO NOT shoot further arrows until the mistake has been understood.

Scoring

  • Marking scorecards with A-C-E, as shown, helps track shoot rotation
  • Best practice is to start rotation on the starting target (e.g. #10) and continue the A-C-E rotation until end of the scorecard
  • Arrows MUST arrow must cut through the line to score the higher value
  • DO NOT touch arrows in the target, to do so will forfeit your score
  • DO NOT pull arrows until scoring completed
  • DO pay attention to the score being called for you. It is hard to correct mistakes later
  • DO check your final scores match. It is much harder to later change results entered for you/signed-off by you
UAR score card

JUNIORS and CUBS

  • Juniors
    • Juniors shall shoot in their own groups
  • Cubs
    • Cubs shall shoot in their own groups with a non-shooting responsible adult.
    • The non-shooting responsible adult may be one of the scorers for the group.
  • Additional Information: Day Off
    • The Day Off rotation may mean that families who shoot are not guaranteed to have the same day off.
    • There is no official provision for supervising children who are on a rest day
    • Parents need to be aware of the ‘day off’ situation and make alternative arrangements with others not shooting to take care of younger children or not shoot themselves.

SUBMITTING A PROTEST

  • Protest Committee
    • The Protest Committee generally comprises of 3 IFAA delegates and 2 officials from the host nation.
    • The Committee will adjudicate on protest(s) received.
    • The Committee’s decision is final.
  • Submitting a Protest.
    • Any archer wishing to make an official complaint must pay €50.
    • If a protest is upheld the €50 fee is returned

CHAMPION OF NATIONS (CON)

  • Team structure
    • Shooting styles are divided into 4 groups, each with their own shooting styles grouped together.
    • One competitor, male or female, is chosen from each style, to make a team of maximum 9 archers.
    • A full team consists of 9 archers, one from each style. A team of less than 9 may be entered if the nation cannot fill all style slots.
    • Selection is left strictly to the nation sponsoring the team.
  • Fee
    • Team entrance fee ranges between €100-€150
Con team