How do you enter a competition?

[jaarus]

As you all know I am pretty new at all this - but - how do you enter a competition?

• Are you selected to enter by your club?
• Do you enter them through word of mouth (on here for example)?
• Do you just turn up unannouced if you hear of one running?
• Do you have to be a certain level before you can enter competitions certain competitions?

As I say just curious - and if you dont ask....!!!


There is a lot of protocol with this sport so dont want to make a faux par down the road because everyone just assumed I knew what to do or whatever!

(Not actually considering it yet...I am not at the standard yet where I can be viewed by the general public )

[Thunk]

With certain exceptions like major championships (which you wouldn't want to shoot in anyway) there is no minimum standard to enter a competition. You just need to be a GNAS member with card.

You can check upcoming competitions in Archery UK, or here on the forum - see the 'Calendar' tab on the bar at the top of the page. You will need to get an entry form and send it off before the event - the organisers need to know how many targets to set out, numbers for catering etc. The closing date should be shown on the form. Popular shoots can fill up quite early!

And then you just need to turn up and shoot! If you are shown as 'unclassified' on your entry form, hopefully the organisers will put you on a target with someone who can show you the ropes. In any case, relax and enjoy the day - it's what we do it for, after all!

[andrew.paterson]

Originally Posted by jaarus

As you all know I am pretty new at all this - but - how do you enter a competition?

• Are you selected to enter by your club?
• Do you enter them through word of mouth (on here for example)?
• Do you just turn up unannouced if you hear of one running?
• Do you have to be a certain level before you can enter competitions certain competitions?

As I say just curious - and if you dont ask....!!!


There is a lot of protocol with this sport so dont want to make a faux par down the road because everyone just assumed I knew what to do or whatever!

(Not actually considering it yet...I am not at the standard yet where I can be viewed by the general public )

I assume from your comments you mean an "open" tournament. This is a tournament that is not just a club shoot, but where any archer can enter.

- Club members can be helpful in letting you know of local shoots, especially those that are quite relaxed so good for a first shoot. Sometimes a club might want to enter a team, so may ask members to enter, but this is quite rare. Even better though is some clubs do organise their archers, and actually help with entries, and travel to events e.g. car sharing.

- Turning up unannounced can be done, just be aware there may not be any places left. Better to phone a day in advance if you are too late to enter by post to see if any spots are left. Better than wasting your time.

- Do you need to be a certain level - certainly not. I would say entering competitions is a grat way to learn, as you get to watch other archer's form and shooting styles. Of course if you enter a competition where you have to shoot 100yds, and your bow will not even reach that distance then probably not worth entering, unless you want a bad back

[pelican]

Don't knock yourself, comps can be great fun at any level. Give one a go and then you have a competition personal best score, after that you have a target to beat!
If you're worried about doing something wrong, don't be, judges are good at asking wether it's anyones first competition and most archers are helpful towards inexperienced target companions.
hope to hear you've competed soon.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by ruthmc

You just don't get to go to the 'Invitation only' shoots as they are for 'serious' archers

Not necessarily... take the London Archers Invitational Albion, for example. Standards can vary enormously. It depends on the criteria used to generate the invitation. For the Albion, that mostly consists of an expression of interest by your club to send a team!

[ben tarrow]

Originally Posted by jaarus

As you all know I am pretty new at all this - but - how do you enter a competition?

There is a lot of protocol with this sport so dont want to make a faux par down the road because everyone just assumed I knew what to do or whatever!

I hope that this comment doesnt come over as too agressive as I have been told that many of my comments DO come over as agressive when really, I dont mean them to be. Its just my manner I guess. Anyhow, here goes nothing:
I just think you should stop worrying about "protocol" and "making a faux pas"
For me one of the enjoyable parts of shooting is the social aspect. You seem so scared of "dropping one" that it is perhaps preventing you from actually talking to the other members of your club. Unless you have a club of unfeeling monsters, they will all apreciate your newness and asking questions like this works as a great ice-breaker when opening conversation with more experienced members. Questions about tournament entry often result in offers of help, car sharing and introductions to new acquaintances at the inevitable tournament. Before you know it, you'll be an old hack too.

[compkiller]

Go for it. Why not try with the Frostbite this December. I am and this is my 1st comp, 1st shoot outside, 1st go at over 20m, (I expect to be giving the Princess of Crapness a run for her money).:snowfight

Still haven't figured out which posts about dress code for this event to folllow tho'.

Have fun

Cheers Darren.

[numpty]

GO for it. I started end sept 2004 I took part in my first Comp in Nov 2004. Which in my opinion is less than 2 months. I love taking part in them. I still get butterflies just beforehand just not as much as I did the first one. I still shoot like a Muppet. No worries. GO for it. P.s. It's suppose to be FUN FUN FUN. So what if your bad. 75% of archers will say the shot like C**p on the day.

[Greyghost]

Hiya Jaarus,
There are several ways to find out about competitions, many of which have already been discussed. My main sources are:

1. Find out what other club members are doing and if they've entered or about to enter competitons. Many clubs have tournament officers who quite often have entry forms sent to them from other clubs. If you hear of any competition that you may be interested in and another team mate is about to enter, ask if you can be put on their entry form and just pay them the fee.

2. Look in Archery UK

3. Look on the internet, check out the GNAS website - not brilliant for competitions (but that is dependant on the clubs submitting the comps). Then check out your regions (and other nearby regions websites), county websites and finally clubs websites.
The other website that a lot of people choose is Mayflowers website:
http://www.freewebs.com/mayflowerarc...nt%20Diary.htm

4. At competitions, usually there are other members from other clubs who will hand out entry forms for shoots later on.

When you have entered a competition and you turn up on the day - ENJOY!
This is about you and not anyone else. It is easy to be intimidated, especially at a shoot when you see crowds of people in in their whites and greens, you set up your bow and park it behind the shooting line between the Aerotec and the Helix (this does not mean that they're any better than you). But just shoot, the only person you are shooting against is yourself and if you do well against other competitors, all the better.
I find that competitions are great social gatherings as well, I've made a lot of new friends from other clubs and although this the end of my second outdoor season, I have only had one shoot where the other people on my target haven't spoken all the way through the competition, except for scores etc.
This season, I've shot along side, Dave Riley, Alan Hagland and Keith Gascoigne and enjoyed every minute of their company. Anyone who shoots in the East Midlands will know what I'm on about. So much so, I'm sure that shoot organisers will deliberately avoid putting these gentlemen together in fear of a shoot never being finished.
Anyway, I can and do waffle for England, so I'd better sign off now.
Best wishes,
Steve

[MrM]

There will (hopefully) be someone in your club (tournament secretary?!) who lets people know when comps are - and as everyone has said, find out which ones other membeers of the club are going to.

Also let the others on the target know it's your first comp - they will no doubt bend over backwards to help.

And before you go - practise - not your archery, but the excuses! Examples are:- "Too windy"; "Too cold"; "Too sunny"; "well everyone seems to have done badly" (more of a general consolation though);

and for the indoor: "the lighting was terrible"; it's so cramped in here"; "the accoustics were awfull"; "the other guy on my target grunted/muttered/fidgeted (delete as appropriate)";

or general ones which can be used anywhere: "its was just one of those days"; I have no idea what went wrong - i normally shoot a ..."!

But just go and have some fun and be amazed at some of the strange gear/rituals/techniques that you will see on the line!