The time has come — you’re off to your first archery competition. You’ve put in the arrows and hours and feel ready to shoot, but there are still some important things you need to consider when traveling to the event. Being prepared is one of the keys to succeeding and will lead to you feeling more comfortable and ready to win.
Here’s a run-down of what to do and what to expect.
Learn the Rules
Knowing how to score on the particular target face you will be shooting on can result in extra points gained. For example, there is a subtle difference when shooting on a World Archery target face versus shooting on a field face; World Archery requires an arrow to only touch the next higher scoring line to receive the higher score, whereas Field Archery requires that the arrow go completely through the line and is touching the next higher scoring ring.
Pack Extra Equipment
Since it’s your first tournament, you probably don’t have a full backup bow. Nevertheless, you should have spare equipment with you just in case anything breaks while shooting. Having extra nocks and fletching means that you’re prepared if the most likely pieces of your equipment should break, especially if you are shooting on a single spot or with other archers on your target (outdoors). After that you can look at bringing an extra finger tab or release, grip tape (if you wrap your bow grip), and possibly extra bow strings or serving material.
What to Expect When You Arrive
The field will be set up with an archer’s waiting area, usually with chairs, tables, and possibly an overhang (canopy). You can assemble your equipment here and claim a chair near your assigned target so that your belongings are nearby if/when you need them. There will be an equipment area where you will be required to put your bow because you will not be allowed to keep your bow with you on the shooting line unless you are a para archer who gets this accommodation.
After you’ve set up your equipment, you’ll be expected to pass through equipment inspection with the judges, usually by the director of shooting (DOS) stand. It is your responsibility to know what is allowed and not allowed in your equipment division so that you don’t fail the inspection. If you do fail the inspection, you will be informed of what changes you will need to make, and you’ll be told you will be inspected again.
During Shooting and Scoring
Depending on the format of the tournament, you can be allotted different amounts of time in which to shoot your arrows each end. The standard World Archery round will usually be four minutes for six arrows, but new World Archery rules are three minutes for six arrows. It’s up to the discretion of the tournament organizers as to which format they will follow. Before shooting, you will be required to wait behind the designated waiting line before the two-whistle signal, which indicate “approach the line.” After 10 seconds, a single whistle will signal the start of shooting. When the time has run out, three whistles will sound, signaling the completion of the end and that it is safe to collect your arrows. If you hear a five-whistle signal, this indicates an emergency and you must stop shooting immediately.
When scoring your arrows, you are required to write in black or blue pen (not red), and not in marker or pencil. You should try to keep a running cumulative score on the score card to ensure that any addition errors are caught right away. After all arrows on your target have been scored, the arrows need to be marked on the target by writing two small lines touching the arrow hole to show that this hole was made by an arrow that had already been shot. If an arrow were to pass through the target, or bounce out, there will be an unmarked hole and the archer will get that score.
After Scoring
Make sure that your score card is completed, with every value box filled in (arrow values, added scores, 10 and X count, and so on), and make sure that you and two other witnesses have signed the score card in the designated spots. You will hand your two copies of score cards to the judges, who will check them over, and return one to you.
That’s it! You’ve finished your tournament. Now you just need to pack up your equipment and clean up your area of any garbage from snacks, broken nocks, and other litter.
Being prepared for all scenarios will make you more comfortable during competition. But, of course, you will always learn something that you can apply to your next competition. After competing in several of them, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect during a tournament and be able to tailor your individual routine to maximize your potential to shoot your best.
