A moan about GNAS Classifications

[English Bowman]

Does anyone here agree with me that it is unfair that there is no separate category for Longbow in the GNAS Field Archery classification scheme?
Longbows and Recurve Traditional (Modern recurve, no sights, one anchor point, and wooden arrows) are grouped together.
I feel that this is wrong. For example, to achieve GMB status with a Longbow I would have to get 258 points in 4 separate shoots, one of which must be marked, and one unmarked.
To do this I’d have to break the British National Unmarked FITA record of 247 by 10 points, and the marked FITA record by 52 points.
To achieve MB I would have to beat the British record for the Marked 24 FITA by 22 points, and get within 19 points of the Unmarked record.
This in my opinion makes it all but impossible to achieve GMB with a longbow, and unreasonably hard to achieve the other classifications.

For an idea of how the styles match up in results compare the gent’s British records,
Longbow Unmarked 247, Marked 206.
Traditional Unmarked 328, Marked 289

It’s like making recurves shoot against compound unlimited. Yet there’d be an outcry if that were allowed.

What are your opinions on this matter, does it only matter to me as I am a Longbowman who feels that I am better than 3rd class, even though so far I can only get a 3rd class classification, or am I justified in my feelings?

Looking at it the way you describe EB it does look near impossible Not sure that you can do about it though. Respect for trying, IMHO Longbow is by far the most difficult aspect of the sport to master. I hope one day the GNAS will cut you some slack and make your goals more realistic. Out of interest, how many Longbow MB/GMB's are there in the UK? Any on here?

[Little Miss Purple]

I was thinking the same RGS - it's enough to put people off from trying!

[Bald Eagle]

All the longbow records were set years ago when the longbow was the only bow. Now interest has been renewed in this old mode of shooting,nobody has been able to match the scores set by the men of old. G.N.A.S. has already dropped the scores required for classifications, perhaps they will have to reduce them further to give the modern longbowman a chance.

[robtattoo]

Sack off the GNAS shoots & join in with the NFAS. Classification is worked out on a much more even scale. Membership's only a tenner for the year + you don't have to dress like a pillock to compete

[LineCutter]

Originally Posted by robtattoo

you don't have to dress like a pillock to compete

Surely, dressing in camouflage for a day in the woods with other people shooting arrows around close to you is quite close! Mind you, I'm not sure whether anyone's twigged that a decent proportion of the male population are somewhat red:green colour blind too.

[robtattoo]

Originally Posted by LineCutter

Surely, dressing in camouflage for a day in the woods with other people shooting arrows around close to you is quite close! Mind you, I'm not sure whether anyone's twigged that a decent proportion of the male population are somewhat red:green colour blind too.

LOL!

Got to agree about the camo, not the brightest (sic) choice of clothing!

[Raedwald]

Originally Posted by LineCutter

Surely, dressing in camouflage for a day in the woods with other people shooting arrows around close to you is quite close! Mind you, I'm not sure whether anyone's twigged that a decent proportion of the male population are somewhat red:green colour blind too.

Then go for the Purple Camo.....

Good point about the scores/classifications though Rob - have to agree (especially as our club chairman did so well in the Longbow classification at the Scottish Champs this year!).

Had a look at the GNAS rules yesterday (OK, so I was bored, I admit it!) - I'll stick to NFAS/EFAA I think!

[whisky]

Originally Posted by Bald Eagle

All the longbow records were set years ago when the longbow was the only bow. Now interest has been renewed in this old mode of shooting,nobody has been able to match the scores set by the men of old. G.N.A.S. has already dropped the scores required for classifications, perhaps they will have to reduce them further to give the modern longbowman a chance.

I'm sure in the next 10 years they'll get around to sorting it out!!

[whisky]

Originally Posted by robtattoo

Sack off the GNAS shoots & join in with the NFAS. Classification is worked out on a much more even scale. Membership's only a tenner for the year + you don't have to dress like a pillock to compete

Rob - I've just joined and love how laid back they are. You can read the rules quickly and don't need a JCB to carry them around.

And.. BTW no stupid half baked GNAS clothing rules to have to endure!!!
Camo is soooo last year, It's SAS black that's in this year.