The aims of these matches are twofold:
To provide a focus to ground archery training within BHAA clubs, through some relaxed competition
To bring together traditional archers; whether horseback archers, field archers or target archers. The postal match is open to any UK archer using an appropriate bow. Overseas competitors are also welcome to participate, please ensure that you use the correct form for returning scores (see below).
We have designed the matches to catch the essence of horseback archery as well as we can without the horse. All matches involve nocking and shooting under moderate time pressure (the equivalent of doing a 90m run in 15 seconds). The winter match involves front and back shooting and the summer match involves a change in target distance between each shot.
Frequency: Matches will run for 2 months each – 3 during the winter season November-April
Cost: no cost
Prize: for pride
Rules: The bow must be a non-centreshot bow, where the arrow is shot off the hand, with no sighting-aids
Please declare your intent to run the postal match before you start shooting and do please return your score, even if you didn’t do as well as you hoped. Please report your results accurately and honestly.
If a group are shooting together then a club official should return all results. If you’re shooting on your own then you may return your score yourself.
Age categories:
Children: 13y or younger (on 31st Dec of the current year)
Junior: 14-17y (on 31st Dec of the current year)
Adult: 18y or older (on 31st Dec of the current year)
If you have a disability and wish to mark this on your entry then please do so
WINTER POSTAL
The winter postal match is based on the Portsmouth round that is traditionally shot during winter months at target archery cubs
Distance for juniors & adults = 18m (20yds)
Distance for children = 8m
Target face = FITA 60
With 10 zone scoring (horseback archers please note 10 zone, not the normal 5 zone scoring)
Warm-up: Before commencing with the scored arrows you may shoot 6 arrows
Scored match:
- 5 dozen arrows will be shot in total.
- Arrows should be shot in sets of 3, with a 15s time limit. Arrows may be held in the bow hand or in a quiver of your choosing (about your person, ie not a ground quiver).
- Start with your draw hand empty and on display. Get a friend to time you or the RSO may shout the start and end of 15s if all archers on the line are shooting the postal match. When 15s is up you must stop shooting even if you have arrows left to shoot. Should an arrow be released after the call of stop, it should not be scored (if there is uncertainty over which arrow in the target was released late then the highest scoring arrow should not be counted)
- Please score after 2 sets of 3 arrows
Of the 10 ends (of 2 sets of 3 arrows):
- shoot 4 ends shooting sideways – i.e. with your feet on either side of the shooting line (normal shooting position, feet facing perpendicular to the direction of shooting)
- shoot 3 ends shooting forwards – i.e. with your feet facing parallel to the direction of shooting, toes towards the target & touching the line
- shoot 3 ends shooting parthian shots – i.e. with your feet facing parallel to the direction of shooting, toes away from the target with heels on the line
These may be shot in any order
** During the front and parthian ends, the arrow must not be nocked until the archer has twisted to face towards the target. The bow must only be drawn when pointing directly down-range. The Range Safety Officer should disqualify anyone who is seen to break this safety rule.
The scoresheet can be found here
Please complete name, club, date and other requested information.
After each end (of 2 sets of 3 arrows) mark whether the end was front / side / back shots and record the score of arrows (plus M for any that miss and T for any that were not shot because you ran out of time), then complete the end total (E/T).
After 2 ends add up the score and please also note the number of hits (H), golds ie. 10s (G) and inner golds (X).
The right hand column is for the running total (R/T) and the final score goes in the bold edged box.
Scores for UK competitors should be returned through the online form found via this link. Overseas competitors should use this link. We politely remind all competitors that we operate an honesty system for accurately reporting scores.
Current match: March/April 2022. Please submit entries before midnight on April 30th 2022
If you have any questions about the postal match please email Rachel at theholistichorse@outlook.com