The BHAA has developed a grading system in partnership with EQL, an independent body that runs the British Horse Society qualifications, and are tailored to UK horseback archers.
The recently updated BHAA qualifications require a rounded skill set, including safety, correct techniques and a knowledge of archery, equestrianism and the wider sport of horseback archery. There are 3 basic types of qualification: horseback archery ability, coaching and safety/refereeing. There are 3 coaching levels and 3 practical levels, including 2 that are available at walk for young or disabled riders.
The quality of our qualifications system has also been recognised internationally with both The Netherlands and South Africa currently using the BHAA’s system as the basis for their own
Horseback Archery: Ancient art to modern sport (3rd edition)
Manual covering all aspects of the sport of horseback archery, including a summary of the history of archery from horseback, £23.92.
Three Types of Qualification
Horseback archery
- Club Horseback Archer
- Intermediate Horseback Archer
- Advanced Horseback Archer
Coaching
- Club Coach
- Intermediate Coach
- Advanced Coach
Safety/refereeing
- Range Safety Officer (ground)
- Range Safety Officer (mounted)
- Referee
There are 3 coaching levels and 3 practical levels, including 2 that are available at walk for young or disabled riders.
Those wishing to start a qualification can obtain the relevant logbook from their BHAA Coach or find digital copies of the logbooks in the member’s section of the website.
If you are ready you can use the online application form to apply for qualifications. A scan or photo of the Progress Tracker page in the logbook needs to be uploaded with your application.
The BHAA has a number of presentations available to help those studying for qualifications, links can be found here (for members only). Members may also download the coaching Module F on the same page.
A list of current qualification holders can be found here.
| Qualification | Fee |
| Club Horseback Archer | £20 (£10 for concessions (junior/student/iHBA) |
| Intermediate Horseback Archer, Club or Intermediate Coach | £45 |
| Advanced Horseback Archer, Advanced Coach | £60 |
| Pin badge | £5 |
| Range Safety Officer (ground & mounted), Referee | Free |
Within 2 years of getting a qualification, you may convert it to the other qualification based on the same syllabus (i.e. coaching / practical) for just £10. E.g. an intermediate horseback archer who completes the necessary coaching training need only pay £10 to get his club coach (within 2 years of getting his intermediate hba) rather than the full fee of £45.
How to become a coach
What are the steps to becoming a Coach?
- Qualifications → the first step is Club Coach
- Secure insurance:
- If this is part of your primary business e.g. you’re already a riding instructor, then you will most likely want to add horseback archery cover to your existing policy
- If you plan to do this as a hobby then the BHAA offers insurance for Coaches & RSOs
- Read the insurance page
- Get your additional qualifications and checks in place:
- Safeguarding
- First Aid: we will accept this online course, but recommend the BHS 2 day in person training as the gold standard
- DBS: please email the BHAA and put in the subject “FAO Cathy Dwyer” who is the Board member responsible for welfare and coordinates the DBS checks
- Once you’re ready complete the application form on the insurance page
- Once you have confirmation from Becca and your name is on the BHAA’s insurance page then you’re insured and ready to go
- Finally, see the table below for more information about what it takes to become an Assessor
Who and what can you COACH as a BHAA qualified coach, under the BHAA insurance
| Coach | Details |
| Club Coach | Coach beginner and novice horse archers on Raid, Aussie, Polish Prelim, Simple arena tracks and the central 30m of the Tower track.i.e.Coaching shooting of: • Side shot • Front shot (not extreme) • Back shot (not extreme) |
| Intermediate Coach | Coach up to intermediate horse archers on Raid, Tower, Aussie, Mamluk90, Skirmish90, Polish Prelim and Prelim+and more complicated arena tracks.i.e. Coaching shooting of: • Side shot • Front shot (including extreme) • Back shot (including extreme) • Long distance shots • Ground shots (Jarmaki or alternative method) and Kikac • Offside shots |
| Advanced Coach | – Coach all levels of horse archer on all tracks.i.e. Coach shooting of: • Side shot • Front shot (including extreme) • Back shot (including extreme) • Long distance shots • Ground shots (Jarmaki or alternative method) • Offside shots • Qabaq and Merida |
| Advanced coach who holds a recognised Equestrian Coachingqualification, or has a separate qualified riding instructor coaching alongside them | • Shooting over jumps * The student must already be signed off as having passed the riding module of the Advanced horseback archer qualification (syllabus C). |
Foundation level Hunt tracks
Length: shorter than the majority of standard Hunt tracks (preferably not more than 350m)
Direction: must not be straight,
Terrain: No incline or difficult terrain
Gait: may be done at walk, trot or canter (according to the confidence & ability of riders & horses)
Targets: between 7 & 10. 3D targets are not permitted
@ canter: there must be at least 30m between targets (ie the ideal point at which they should be shot)
@ walk & trot: the spacing should be less (eg 20m)
Jumping: no jumping is permitted
| Polish Prelim | Polish Prelim + | |
| Direction | Up to 3 wide curves, with gentle changes in direction (to include both canter leads) | May have more curves than PP, but no tight turns |
| Shots | Side, front, back, long distance with a suggested maximum of 30m | Offside, ground |
| Coach | Club coach or higher | Intermediate coach or higher |
| Participant | Club horseback archer or higher | Intermediate hba or higher |
Assessing for the BHAA qualifications system
Coaches are automatically qualified to Assess the following. [Note: updated in May 2022]
When acting as an Assessor you are the person responsible for the session and should ensure that you have insurance in place.
– This is easiest to understand when assessing Club Coach. At the point of the Assessment the candidate is not yet a qualified Coach and so cannot be on the insurance. As such it is the Assessor who is responsible for the session.
– Taken up a level to Intermediate or Advanced. The candidate is demonstrating a lesson that is more advanced that they are currently qualified for. As such they cannot be doing this under their own insurance. It is the Assessor who is responsible for the session.
| Coach → | Assessor | You may assess: |
| Club | Club | Club horseback archer, RSO(g) & RSO(m) |
| Intermediate | Intermediate | Club coach and Intermediate horseback archer |
| Advanced | Advanced | Intermediate coach, Advanced horseback archer and Advanced coach |
Riding assessments (for all qualifications) must be conducted by qualified riding instructors. eg. BHSQ Level 3 Coach Complete (formerly AI) or above / ABRS ITA or above / UKCC level 2 (equine) or higher.