Award Schemes

We run a number of the popular outdoor and indoor schemes at HCB, and badges can be attained to mark your progress as an archer. All we ask, in addition to shooting the required, witnessed scores, is submission of the applicable, fully filled out and countersigned score sheets to the club’s Records Officer and paying the modest, cost-covering fee for each badge. One badge only per claim in all cases. Club members can find tailor-made score sheets (downloadable as pdf files to print for these and other rounds) among the resources on the Members’ Page, or in a storage box in the equipment hut. Either hand in or post your score sheet or email a scan or a good, clear, full-frame, portrait mode photo of it to the Records Officer to claim your award or classification. Alternatively, use a scoring app such as Archery Scoresheet that allows you to email your score sheet directly to the Records Officer.

​

Many other rounds could be shot but the following are the ‘badge schemes’ at HCB. Most of our schemes can be shot in general practice sessions as long as you have an accompanying archer who is willing to countersign your score sheet on the day. Similarly, the Archery GB Classification Scheme rounds can either be shot in general sessions or in club tournaments, as explained below.

 

We are reasonably flexible on  an end or two of warm-up practice before ‘sighter arrows’ are shot, but you must declare that you are going to start scoring prior to commencing your qualifying rounds. If you are seeking to obtain an award like a '252' or Progress Award badge where rounds of 36 arrows (6 ends of 6 arrows) are required, you can use the first 6 ends of another round at a comparable imperial distance to make your claim providing you declare before you start scoring that is your intention and that separate score sheets are submitted for each of the different rounds. (You cannot use the last 6 ends or 'cherry pick' the best 6 ends from another round!).

​

Archery GB Outdoor Classification Scheme
Outdoors!
New in 2023. There is a wide range of rounds that qualify for this scheme, and you can ‘mix and match’ your qualifying rounds as long as you meet the criteria for the number of arrows to be shot and the requisite scores.

There are three tiers, each with three classification levels:

Archer; 3rd class, 2nd class and 1st class (achievable in club target days or competitions).
Bowman; 3rd class, 2nd class and 1st class (achievable in club target days or competitions).
Master Bowmen; Master, Grand Master and Elite Master (achievable only in Prestige rounds shot in Record Status competitions).

12 dozen arrows are required to qualify for Archer awards, 18 dozen arrows are required to qualify for Bowman awards. Score sheets to be countersigned by a fellow archer on the field at the time of shooting.
 

We administer the Archer and Bowman levels within the club, Master Bowmen classifications are administered by Archery GB.
 

This comprehensive scheme covers four bow styles (compound, recurve, barebow and longbow) and age groups from U12, U14, U15, U16, U18, Seniors and Seniors 50+ for both men and women.
 

Full details available at:
https://archerygb.org/resources/outdoor-classifications-and-handicaps

​

Archery GB Indoor Classification Scheme
Indoors!!
New for 2023-24. Comparable to the Outdoor scheme described above, this caters for a range of rounds typically shot indoors and features similar Archer, Bowman and Master Bowman tiers. Unlike the Outdoor Classifications, as a club we can administer Archer, Bowmen and Master Bowman tier badge claims. Archer classifications can be achieved by shooting 10 dozen arrows to the required levels, Bowmen classifications by shooting 15 dozen arrows to the required levels in club target sessions or competitions, Master Bowman also requires 15 dozen arrows at the relevant score levels but these would have to be shot in Record Status competitions. The same bow types and age groups are catered for as in the outdoor scheme. Archery GB have said that badges for this new scheme will be available in summer 2024, so indoors shooters, please be patient!

 

Full details available at:
https://archerygb.org/resources/indoor-classifications-and-handicaps

​

‘252 Challenge’ round

The default outdoors progression scheme at Hardy Country Bowmen.
One end of 'sighters' then 6 ends of 6 arrows at a range of distances from 20 yards to 80 yards at HCB (available range length not quite adequate for 100 yards awards, and 80yds requires a back-stop net) on a 122cm face.
5 zone scoring i.e. 9-7-5-3-1
Maximum score 324 but badges are awarded simply for achieving 252 with an olympic-style (sighted) recurve bow  (average 7 per arrow) or more at each distance. The target score changes to 280 for a compound bow, 189 for barebow, 169 for flatbow and 164 for longbow to reflect the perceived accuracy of the different bow types.
Two qualifying rounds, on the same or different days, to qualify for a badge.

Note: 20yd & 30yd '252s' may also be shot in our gym in the winter months.

​

Archery GB Progress Award Scheme

The default indoors progression scheme at Hardy Country Bowmen.
Aimed primarily at juniors and beginners.
One end of sighters then 6 ends of 6 arrows on a 60cm face.
10 zone scoring.
Age groups: U12, U14, U16, U18 and Seniors
Three rounds to qualify for each badge, on the same or different days.
Full scoring requirement details available at:
https://archerygb.org/files/archery-gb-progress-awards-scheme---scores-130223143614.pdf

​

Portsmouth round

Generally shot indoors but could be shot outdoors as well.
One end of sighters then 10 ends of 6 arrows per end at 20 yards on a 60cm face.
10 zone scoring i.e. 10-9-8….2-1.
Maximum score 600. Badges for scores from 300 to 575 in increments of 25, then in increments of 5 up to the maximum!
One qualifying round required per badge.

​

Worcester round

Generally indoors.
One end of sighters then 12 ends of 5 arrows per end at 20 yards on a special Worcester face with 16in upper and lower faces.
6 ends at upper target followed by 6 ends at lower target (or vice-versa).
5 zone scoring i.e. 5-4-3-2-1 in this instance.
Maximum score 300. Badges for scores from 100 to 250 in increments of 25, then 265, 275, 285, 295 and 300.
One qualifying round required per badge.

​

Frostbite round

Outdoors at Hardy Country Bowmen.
One end of sighters then 6 ends of 6 arrows at 30 metres on an 80cm face.
10 zone scoring i.e. 10-9-8….2-1.
Maximum score 360. Badges from 200 to 300 in increments of 25, then 315, 330, 340, 350 and 355. An 'equivalence table' on our Frostbite score sheet takes into account the different perceived accuracy of the different bow types and shows the scores required for each badge.
One qualifying round required per badge.