Target archery
The most popular form of archery, governed by World Archery.
Target archery is the most common form of the sport, where competitors shoot at fixed circular targets set at various distances. Archers may use longbows, barebows, recurve bows, or compound bows. Internationally, the sport is regulated by the World Archery Federation (WA), formerly known as FITA, which also sets the rules used in Olympic competition.
Competitions can be held indoors or outdoors. Indoor events typically use a single distance, while outdoor events historically involved multiple distances, though WA now also uses a single distance for outdoor rounds. Safety is a major concern, so strict commands and etiquette are enforced. For example, two whistle blasts signal archers to approach the shooting line, one blast means shooting may begin, and three blasts indicate it is safe to retrieve arrows. The command "Fast" or more than three whistles means stop shooting immediately due to danger. Archers must not distract someone at full draw, and if they damage another’s equipment, they are expected to cover the cost.
Equipment varies by bow type. Recurve bows may include a sight, dampener, stabilizers, weights, an arrow rest, and a plunger. Compound bows use a sight, weights, dampener, a single stabilizer, and an arrow rest. Barebows allow only the bow, weights, and arrow rest, and are usually takedown models, unlike longbows, which are typically one-piece and cannot accept attachments. Arrow materials also differ: wood arrows are common for longbows and barebows, carbon fiber for barebow, compound, and recurve, and aluminum arrows are often used by beginners or as cores for carbon arrows at higher levels. Standard personal gear includes a quiver, a release aid (mechanical or finger tab), and an arrow puller; those practicing at home may also need a target butt.
Competitors are grouped by age and equipment type. Categories include Under 15, Under 18, Under 21, Open (21 and older), 50+, and Para-Archery, which has its own disability-based breakdown. Archers may move up an age group but must stay in that class for the entire season to keep points fair.
Scoring uses standard WA targets with ten concentric rings valued 1 through 10, plus an inner 10 ring (the X ring). In outdoor Imperial rounds under ArcheryGB rules, rings are scored 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 instead. The inner 10 ring serves as a tiebreaker: the archer with the most X’s wins.
- Governing body
- World Archery Federation (WA), formerly FITA
- Nations represented
- 142
- Largest governing body
- FFTA (French archery federation) with approximately 60,000 members
- Second largest
- ArcheryGB (formerly GNAS) with approximately 40,000 members
- Oldest governing bodies
- GNAS and FITARCO date to the 1860s; USA Archery dates to the 1870s
- Usa archery members
- approximately 25,000
Lore & Background
Target archery competitions may be held indoors or outdoors. Indoor rounds are normally shot at one distance, whereas in years past outdoor competitions normally consisted of several distances; recently World Archery determined that only one distance is needed for outdoor competitions. In Great Britain, imperial rounds measured in yards are still used for many tournaments and have slightly different rules to metric (WA) rounds used internationally. Archers are divided into age groups and by type of bow.
Standard WA targets are marked with 10 evenly spaced concentric rings with score values from 1 through 10, except in outdoor imperial rounds under AGB rules where they have score values 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. An inner 10 ring, sometimes called the X ring, serves as a tiebreaker outdoors. Target faces come in standard sizes: 40 cm, 60 cm, 80 cm, and 122 cm, with variants such as the 'Spot' and '3 Spot' used indoors. Whistle commands signal the phases of shooting: two blasts to approach the line, one blast to begin shooting, and three blasts to collect arrows. The command 'Fast' means stop shooting immediately.
Reader's Guide
Target archery's significance lies in its global standardization under World Archery, which governs Olympic archery and unites 142 nations. The sport accommodates a wide range of equipment types—recurve, compound, barebow, longbow, and traditional—each with specific allowed accessories. Scoring rules, including the use of line cutters and tie-breaking X rings, ensure consistent competition. Age classifications from Under 15 to 50+ and Para-Archery divisions make the sport accessible across demographics. The largest governing bodies, such as the French federation with 60,000 members and ArcheryGB with 40,000, demonstrate its widespread participation. Safety protocols, such as whistle commands and the 'Fast' command, are integral to all target archery events. The legacy of target archery includes its evolution from multiple outdoor distances to a single distance format, and its continued use of both imperial and metric rounds in different regions.
Did You Know?
- The inner 10 ring is sometimes called the X ring and is used as a tiebreaker outdoors.
- An arrow just touching a scoring boundary line is awarded the higher score.
- The 40 cm target face is made up of 5 colors, each split into two different values from 1 to 10 points.
- In the event of a 'bouncer' (arrow hits the target and bounces out), points may be awarded to an unmarked hole.
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