Welsh Field Archery Association

Lore & Background

The WFAA was founded after the British Field Archery Association merged with the English Field Archery Association to form the EFAA. This merger did not suit most members, leading to the Scottish members breaking away in 1967 to form the Scottish Field Archery Association. This development precipitated a meeting of the Welsh Company of Archers in December 1969 at the Glyncornel Centre, Rhondda, where it was decided to form the WFAA as the governing body of field archery in Wales. This established the format in the UK where each Home Nation has its own governing body, meaning Great Britain is not represented in the IFAA code of field archery at the international level.

The WFAA is headed by its president, who chairs the General Committee. This Committee is responsible for running the Association and includes administrators managing record keeping, communication, finances, tournament management, coaching, and team selection. Each member club has a representative on the General Committee, and there is an IFAA Delegate who represents Wales at the bi-annual IFAA World Council Meeting. Two subcommittees exist: the Welsh Squad and Team Selection Panel, and the Coaching Committee headed by the National Coach.

Since 2004, the WFAA has seen significant development activities, expanding its network of clubs, promoting membership growth, and growing its network of field archery courses. In 2009, the WFAA signed up to the IFAA International Instructors Program, leading to re-training and re-qualification of all coaches and instructors in Wales. That same year saw the appointment of a new National Coach, charged with developing coaches and elite archers, resulting in a restructuring of the Welsh National Squad program.

Reader's Guide

The WFAA's significance lies in its role as the sole governing body for field archery in Wales, a position it has held since its founding in 1969. Its formation resolved the dissatisfaction following the merger of the British and English field archery associations, establishing the enduring structure of separate Home Nation governing bodies within the UK. The WFAA manages all aspects of the sport, from grassroots club training to national team selection and international competition. Its development activities since 2004 have expanded the sport's reach across Wales, while the adoption of the IFAA International Instructors Program in 2009 standardised coaching and training. The WFAA has produced four world champions and has hosted major international tournaments, including the European Field Archery Championships twice. The association's legacy includes a structured system of clubs, committees, and coaching that supports archers from beginner to elite level, and its annual National Championships and participation in the UK & Ireland Field Archery Championships maintain the sport's competitive calendar.

Did You Know?

• The WFAA was founded in December 1969 at the Glyncornel Centre, Rhondda.
• Wales has produced four world champions: Fabien Spalvieri, Mathew Symmonds, Gary Hart, and Sandra Anderson.
• The WFAA hosted the European Field Archery Championships in 1980 and 2009.
• Since 2004, the WFAA has expanded its network of clubs and field archery courses across Wales.

Origins and the Birth of a Home Nation

The WFAA's story is one of separation and self-determination. In 1970, the British Field Archery Association and the English Field Archery Association merged to create the EFAA, an attempt to unify the sport under a single roof. The move, however, fell flat with much of the membership. Scotland had already broken away in 1967 to form its own association, and Wales followed suit. A pivotal gathering of the Welsh Company of Archers took place at Glyncornel Centre in Rhondda in December 1969, where members resolved to establish a dedicated Welsh governing body. That decision gave birth to the WFAA and cemented the now-familiar Home Nations structure across the UK, where each nation fields its own representative body. A notable consequence of this arrangement is that Great Britain as a whole does not compete under a single flag at the IFAA international level in field archery. The WFAA is affiliated with the IFAA, which itself is a member of TAFISA, the leading World Sport for All organization.

Governance and Day-to-Day Operations

At the helm of the WFAA sits a president who chairs the General Committee, the body responsible for the Association's overall running. This committee handles a broad portfolio: record keeping, member communication, finances, tournament administration, coaching oversight, and team selection. Every member club sends a representative to the General Committee, ensuring grassroots voices are heard at the top. An IFAA Delegate also sits on the committee, tasked with safeguarding Welsh interests at the international level and attending the IFAA World Council Meeting every two years. Two dedicated subcommittees support the broader structure: the Welsh Squad and Team Selection Panel, which manages squad and team choices, and the Coaching Committee, led by the National Coach, which oversees coach training and development. On the ground, the WFAA's network of member clubs handles the day-to-day archery activities, from beginner training through classification shoots to regional tournaments. National and international events are typically hosted by a member club but administered directly by the General Committee.

A New Era of Development from 2004 Onward

From 2004, the WFAA embarked on a sustained push to grow field archery's profile across Wales. The Association expanded its club network, drove membership growth, and broadened the range of field archery courses available to archers throughout the Principality. A landmark moment came in 2009, when the WFAA adopted the newly launched IFAA International Instructors Program. This required every coach and instructor in Wales to undergo re-training and re-qualification under the new framework, resulting in a far more structured approach to teaching archers at every level. That same year, the WFAA created the post of National Coach, a role charged with both developing the coaching base and nurturing elite-level archers. This appointment triggered a restructuring of the Welsh National Squad program, making it more effective and better organized. Together, these moves transformed Welsh field archery from a relatively informal grassroots pursuit into a more professionally structured and competitive sporting environment.

Championship Pedigree and the International Stage

The WFAA's competitive record is a source of genuine pride. Wales has produced four world champions in field archery history: Fabien Spalvieri in 2003, Mathew Symmonds in 2008, 2010, and 2014, Gary Hart in 2013, and Sandra Anderson in 2015. Beyond world titles, Welsh archers have claimed victories at the European Field Archery Championships, the European Bowhunter Championships, and the UK & Ireland Field Archery Championships. The WFAA also holds annual National Championships covering field archery, 3D Bowhunting, and Indoor target archery. On the hosting front, the WFAA takes its turn every five years in staging the UK & Ireland Field Archery Championships, a multi-nation event drawing competitors from Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Wales has twice hosted the European Field Archery Championships: first in 1980 on the Dunraven Estate at Merthyr Mawr near Bridgend, and again in 2009 at Tal y Coed near Monmouth.