Rounds & Age Divisions

Knowing what you need to shoot in a tournament can be confusing. Let's walk you through it!

Archery Australia specifies that all age divisions can shoot all rounds at any time for their score to be eligible for the Archery Australia classification scheme (with some caveats – see the Classifications page BUT, if you want your score to be eligible for certain awards and ranking purposes you must shoot the correct round for your division at official tournaments and QREs.
This is does not mean that you can’t shoot other rounds at a tournament or QRE if you prefer. It just means that your score would only be eligible for the Archery Australia classification scheme, not the awards or your Australian National ranking.

As with QREs, you must shoot a specific round to qualify for an Australian tournament record.

If you want your score to be eligible for the Australian Ranking List, you need to shoot a round specific to your:

  • AGE DIVISION: see section below

  • GENDER

  • BOW TYPE: You will only be ranked against others shooting your bow type. These are:

    • Recurve freestyle: a recurve bow with a sight

    • Compound freestyle: a compound bow with a sight

    • Barebow: a compound or recurve bow without a sight

    • Longbow: the traditional longbow

This is does not mean that you can’t shoot other rounds at a tournament or QRE if you prefer. It just means that your score would only be eligible for the Archery Australia classification scheme, not the awards or your Australian National ranking.

This link shows a list of archery rounds that an archer in any given class (gender + bow type) and division (age) must shoot in a QRE to qualify for the Australian Ranking List.

For all the rules on QREs, check out Archery Australia’s QRE policy.

A Short Range event will shoot the Canberra rounds. Note that a Canberra is also called a WA 60/900.

Championship events in Australia shoot 1440 rounds – which are 144 arrow rounds shot at 4 distances in 36 arrow sets. Check this list of all Australian Archery Rounds for full descriptions.

To be eligible for records in these events, you must shoot in your:

  • AGE DIVISION: see section below

  • GENDER

  • BOW TYPE: You will only be ranked against others shooting your bow type. These are:

    • Recurve freestyle: a recurve bow with a sight

    • Compound freestyle: a compound bow with a sight

    • Barebow: a compound or recurve bow without a sight

    • Longbow: the traditional longbow

This is does not mean that you can’t shoot other rounds if you prefer. It just means that your score would only be eligible for the Archery Australia classification scheme, not any records.

This link shows a list of archery rounds that an archer in any given class (gender + bow type) and division (age) must shoot in a Short Range or Championship to qualify for a record.

What’s my age division?

  • Cub: An athlete may compete in the Cub class in tournaments until December 31 of the year of his or her 13th birthday.

  • Intermediate: An athlete may compete in the Intermediate class in tournaments until December 31 of the year of his or her 15th birthday.

  • Cadet: An athlete may compete in the Cadet class in tournaments until December 31 of the year of his or her 17th birthday.

  • Junior: An athlete may compete in the Junior class in tournaments until December 31 of the year of his or her 20th birthday.

  • Open: An athlete of any age may compete in the Open class in tournaments, but those born in the above years have no alternative.

  • Master: An athlete may compete in the Master class in tournaments from January 1 of the year of his or her 50th birthday and thereafter.

  • Veteran: An athlete may compete in the Veteran class in tournaments from January 1 of the year of his or her 60th birthday and thereafter.

  • Veteran plus: An athlete may compete in the Veteran class in tournaments from January 1 of the year of his or her 70th birthday and thereafter.