Target Championship (Outdoors)

Introduction

This is the main event in the KAA calendar and has taken place every year bar one since the Association was founded in 1953. The normal date for the tournament is the 3rd. Sunday in August and this has remained unchanged since the formation of the Association; it is almost invariably adhered to.

The event is organised and run by a Tournament Organiser who is elected to the KAA Operational Committee each year at the Association's AGM.

Of course only a member of the KAA can compete to become a Kent champion, but visitors from outside of the county are always welcome and, typically, about 1 in 4 of archers at the event come from neighbouring counties. There are separate awards for visitors shooting in the more popular categories and a few awards that are open to all. However, it is important to note that only archers affiliated to ArcheryGB or another World Archery member association are eligible to shoot at this event.

Full details are available in the Association's Championships and Tournaments Policy and relevant information is also included in the entry form.

Rounds

The event consists of the traditional British 12 dozen rounds:

The required rounds, showing the number of dozen arrows shot at each distance.
Gentlemen Ladies Round 122cm Face
100yds 80yds 60yds 50yds 40yds 30yds 20yds 10yds
Senior York 6 4 2
Senior Hereford 6 4 2
Under 18 Bristol 1 6 4 2
Under 16 Under 18 Bristol 2 6 4 2
Under 14 Under 16 Bristol 3 6 4 2
Under 12 Under 14 Bristol 4 6 4 2
Under 12 Bristol 5 6 4 2

Archers are welcome to enter for an alternative round (this is especially to give less experienced archers the chance to take part, even though they are not able to shoot the full distance), however, in most cases awards will not be available to compete for.

Very occasionally the event has been reduced to a shorter round or even curtailed early because of weather conditions - when this happens all awards (including championships) are still presented provided that some shooting has been possible, but are based on the shortened event.

Venues

In common with most county associations, the KAA does not own a permanent tournament ground and the tournament is too large to be readily accommodated at any of our club grounds. Over the years this tournament has been held at a number of locations in the county:

From To Venue
2008 Vigo Rugby Football Club (map)
2007 2007 Leigh City Technology College, Dartford (map)
1996 2006 Hadlow College (map)
1991 1995 Walderslade High School, Chatham (map)
???? 1990 Oakwood Park, Maidstone (map)

Results

Results of recent tournaments are available for download
(Please note that prior to 2007 they are scanned copies of the original printed documents, so the quality is much lower than for recent years):

Champions

A full list of past and present champions is available in our Hall of Fame.

Originally only Recurve bows were recognised; the compound bow has been around since the middle of the 20th century, but did not gain great popularity in the UK until much later. The KAA first awarded champions with this type of bow in 1994.

The longbow has existed for centuries, of course, but relatively few members of the Association chose to shoot with it until fairly recently. During the 1990s and subsequently, the longbow gained massively in popularity, so much so that the Association now runs an additional Longbow Championship specifically for archers shooting that type of bow. The Kent longbow champion is now decided at that separate tournament rather than at the County Target Archery Championship event, so, although longbow archers are welcome to take part in the Target Championship, this event does not award the title of Champion to winners.

For several years the Association

d the equivalent Burntwood rounds to encourage participation by visually impaired archers, but now the Association holds a separate Para-Archery County Championship. Para-archers are welcome to compete in the Target Championship and are eligible for it's awards, but the specific Para-Archery awards are made at the separate new event.

Over the last few years Recurve Barebow has been gaining in popularity among target archers, so with effect from 2014 champions are also recognised in this bow style.

The title of "Champion" is currently awarded separately for each combination of:

Bow Style Compound, Recurve Freestyle and Recurve Barebow.
Gender Ladies and Gentlemen.
Age Group Each age group recognised by ArcheryGB.

Trophies

The Association's trophies are all awarded on the basis that they must be returned in time for the following year's tournament. The Championships and Tournaments Policy gives further details about the responsibilities of anyone to whom a trophy is awarded.

Normally each trophy is accompanied by a medal, which the winner is entitled to keep in perpetuity; Medals will also be awarded where no trophy is provided in a championship category or where a trophy is shared between categories. Any team trophies are accompanied by a medal for each team member. Medals may also be awarded at the organiser's discretion for other achievements for which no trophy is provided.

Kent Awards

Champions

Bow Style Gender Age Group Trophy Name
Compound Unlimited Lady Senior Gravesend Shield
SCAS County Champion's Medal [Kent Lady Compound]
Compound Unlimited Lady Under 18 Vincer Family Cup [Bristol 2] (shared trophy)
Compound Unlimited Lady Under 16 Vincer Family Cup [Bristol 3] (shared trophy)
Compound Unlimited Lady Under 14 Top Table Catering Cup (shared trophy)
Compound Unlimited Lady Under 12 Kent Judges Cup
Compound Unlimited Gentleman Senior Invicta Horse
SCAS County Champion's Medal [Kent Gentleman Compound]
Compound Unlimited Gentleman Under 18 Kent Committee Cup
Compound Unlimited Gentleman Under 16 Vincer Family Cup [Bristol 2] (shared trophy)
Compound Unlimited Gentleman Under 14 Vincer Family Cup [Bristol 3] (shared trophy)
Compound Unlimited Gentleman Under 12 Top Table Catering Cup (shared trophy)
Recurve Freestyle Lady Senior Silvia Hogbin Salver
SCAS County Champion's Medal [Kent Lady Recurve Freestyle]
Recurve Freestyle Lady Under 18 Wentworth Trophy
Recurve Freestyle Lady Under 16 Holmsdale Cup
Recurve Freestyle Lady Under 14 Lynwood Cup
Recurve Freestyle Lady Under 12 Freeman Family Cup
Recurve Freestyle Gentleman Senior Medway Cup
SCAS County Champion's Medal [Kent Gentleman Recurve Freestyle]
Recurve Freestyle Gentleman Under 18 Gold Cup
Recurve Freestyle Gentleman Under 16 Swanton Cup
Recurve Freestyle Gentleman Under 14 Graham Cup
Recurve Freestyle Gentleman Under 12 Ashbourne Award
Recurve Barebow Lady Senior Midrouillet Trophy
SCAS County Champion's Medal [Kent Lady Recurve Barebow]
Recurve Barebow Lady Under 18 S.C.C.A Cup [Bristol 2] (shared trophy)
Recurve Barebow Lady Under 16 Queenborough Cup [Bristol 3] (shared trophy)
Recurve Barebow Lady Under 14 Queenborough Cup [Bristol 4] (shared trophy)
Recurve Barebow Lady Under 12 Queenborough Cup [Bristol 5]
Recurve Barebow Gentleman Senior Peter Brett Associates LLP Cup
SCAS County Champion's Medal [Kent Gentleman Recurve Barebow]
Recurve Barebow Gentleman Under 18 Queenborough Cup [Bristol 1]
Recurve Barebow Gentleman Under 16 S.C.C.A Cup [Bristol 2] (shared trophy)
Recurve Barebow Gentleman Under 14 Queenborough Cup [Bristol 3] (shared trophy)
Recurve Barebow Gentleman Under 12 Queenborough Cup [Bristol 4] (shared trophy)

Veterans

Bow Style Gender Age Group Trophy Name
Compound Unlimited Combined Veteran Tom Wright Memorial Trophy
Recurve Freestyle Combined Veteran KAA Veterans Trophy
Recurve Barebow Combined Veteran (No trophy currently available)

Club Teams

Bow Style Gender Age Group Trophy Name
Compound Unlimited Combined Senior Allington Castle Archers' Shield
Compound Unlimited Combined Junior (No trophy currently available)
Recurve Freestyle Combined Senior Vigus Trophy
Recurve Freestyle Combined Junior Kentish Archer Trophy
Recurve Barebow Combined Combined Kenyon Shield

Visitors' Awards

Bow Style Gender Age Group Trophy Name
Compound Unlimited Lady Senior KAA Shield [Visiting Lady Compound]
Compound Unlimited Gentleman Senior KAA Shield [Visiting Gentleman Compound]
Recurve Freestyle Lady Senior KAA Trophy [Visiting Lady Recurve]
Recurve Freestyle Gentleman Senior KAA Trophy [Visiting Gentleman Recurve]
Recurve Barebow Lady Senior (No trophy currently available)
Recurve Barebow Gentleman Senior (No trophy currently available)

Retired Awards

The following trophies have been retired and will no longer be presented, the primary reasons being to:

  • avoid situations where more than one trophy is awarded for the same performance;
  • keep the preparation and presentation of awards within a time scale that does not actively discourage competitors from staying for the presentation ceremony.

Lost Awards

The following trophies have been lost, some of them a good few years since. In some cases they have been awarded in the expectation of recovering them from a previous recipient, so tournament results lists are not the complete answer to tracking them down.

All of them remain the property of the KAA, so if anyone has in their possession or knows the whereabouts of any of the following trophies, we would ask them to contact the county Secretary.