New Field classification scheme launching January 2025

Last year the outdoor and indoor target classification schemes were given a long-overdue update, and now it's field archery's turn.

From 1 January 2025, the field classification scheme will align with the target system, offering awards from Archer 3rd Class through Bowman, Master Bowman, and up to Elite Master Bowman. From January archers can pursue the revised classification award scheme and claim their badges in the new year at their club or using the Master Bowman claim form depending on the award.

Why update the scheme?

The target classification schemes were updated in 2023 to become more inclusive with the 'Archer' tier allowing newer archers to participate from early in their archery journey. At the same time the Elite Master Bowman classification was introduced to stretch the very best in the sport. The new tables also aligned with the new junior age groups introduced by Archery GB and included the 50+ Masters category in line with World Archery.

The field classifications have been updated to once again match the target awards (Archer, Bowman, and Master Bowman tiers), and to include all of the new field age groups and pegs introduced in 2024.

The old scheme often had extremely high entry points, especially for juniors, with scores being condensed at the upper end of performance range. Some bowstyles were combined together, and there was no defined process for setting the scores. The new scheme is designed to be accessible by those who are relatively new to (field) archery and provide an upwards pathway for those looking to track their progress. It is hoped that it will increase engagement and participation in field archery from club up to competitive level.

Highlights of the new scheme

The new scheme will be fully described in the Shooting Administrative Procedures (SAP7) with scores provided in the associated tables for each bowstyle. A summary is provided in the below table, though archers, especially club records officers, are encouraged to read the SAPs for a full description when they are released along with a Rules of Shooting update in the coming weeks.

Key points to highlight in the new scheme are:

• New junior age groups: Previously there was only one junior age group (Under 18) in the scheme requiring all juniors to shoot the maximum peg distance for their bowstyle and achieve scores set at an Under 18 level. Now there are separate scores for each age group (down to Under 12), set at an appropriate level, which can be attained shooting the appropriate colour peg. This means younger archers can now engage properly in the scheme
• New 50+ (Masters) Category: In addition to the new junior age groups there is also a new category for 50+ archers in line with World Archery
• Option to shoot lower colour pegs for the Archer tier: For new archers who may be shooting at Archer tier level the full-distance peg can be daunting. Now, just like in the outdoor target scheme, archers can achieve the lowest awards at shorter distances. This allows them to engage with the scheme early in their shooting, progressing to further pegs as their skill develops
• Option to shoot 12-target rounds at the Archer and Bowman tiers: There are many smaller events or club courses across the country that use 12-target rounds, for example club evening and winter leagues. Archers can now use scores from these rounds to claim Archer and Bowman classifications
• Wider range of score levels: As mentioned above, scores in the previous classifications were often condensed at the higher end of the performance range. This led to poor engagement with the scheme. In addition to expanding the pegs and rounds we have also expanded the skill range to be comparable to the target classifications meaning archers can engage with the scheme from early in their archery journey all the way up to a nationally competitive level

Overall these changes have seen the field classifications expand from the previous scheme with 120 scores across 3 rounds and 20 categories to now have 4,212 scores across 8 rounds and 112 categories!

These updates have involved hundreds of volunteer hours and followed a peer-reviewed process with working groups and archers of all levels. Whilst a perfect match is impossible, steps have been taken using real-world data to ensure that scores are realistic, and comparable between different categories and to the target classification schemes.

Click here to learn more and view the classification tables

Resources and next steps

Complete classification tables are now available on the Archery GB website with an overview also available at archerycalculator.co.uk/new-field. Additionally updates to the Rules of Shooting and the Shooting Administrative Procedures will follow before the end of November inline with other changes alongside the Field Classificatons.

Archery GB would like to thank volunteer Jack Atkinson for his work in revising the Field Classification scheme.