The 1 January classification and handicap reassessment, step by step
On 1 January every outdoor handicap is reset to the average of the archer's best three handicaps of the year just ended, rounded down, and every archer carries into the new year the classification they gained in the old one; an archer who gained none becomes Unclassified. Indoors the same happens on 1 July. The records desk prints the reassessment report with the before, the after and why for every archer.
Run the reassessment in six steps
Do it once all of last season's score sheets are in.
- Collect the last score sheets. Chase any score sheets from the end of the season before you start, because a late score can change a best three.
- Reset each handicap. For every archer and bowstyle, average the best three handicaps of the season just ended and round down. With fewer than three, average what they shot with their start value for that season.
- Carry classifications forward. Each archer holds, for the whole new season, the best classification they gained in the season just ended.
- Mark lapsed classifications. An archer who gained nothing last season becomes Unclassified, even if they held a class then.
- Print the list and the changes. Publish the new handicap and classification list and tell archers whose handicap or class changed.
- Keep the old season. Keep last season's scores; next year's reset and any late query will need them.
How a classification is gained in the first place
Since 2023 a classification is not three scores. For each class there is a threshold on each round for the archer's bowstyle, category and age group, and the archer needs enough scores at or above it to add up to a set number of arrows in the season, at the right kind of event.
| Tier | Outdoor | Indoor | Events that count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archer (A3, A2, A1) | 12 dozen | 10 dozen | Any, practice included |
| Bowman (B3, B2, B1) | 18 dozen | 15 dozen | Competitive events, club target days included |
| Master Bowman and above | 36 dozen | 15 dozen | Record status events; outdoor and field awarded by Archery GB, indoor by the club |
The 2026 update renamed the categories (Open and Female) and published new tables, but Jack Atkinson's note on the update says the handicap thresholds behind the classes did not change. The desk computes every threshold from the scheme rather than copying a table.
Worked example: the demo club's report
This is the outdoor reassessment report the desk prints for the demo club on 1 January 2026. 1 of 6 handicaps changed. Each change comes with its reason, so an archer who asks why their handicap went up can be shown the three rounds.
| Archer | Handicap before | Handicap after | Class before | Class after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Farrow | 38 | 38 | B1 | B1 |
| Ben Hollis | 23 | 23 | B2 | B2 |
| Cara Mottram | 60 | 60 | B3 | B3 |
| Dev Rana | 51 | 52 | B2 | B2 |
| Eli Brook | 76 | 76 | B2 | B2 |
| Fay Kinnear | none | none | B1 | B1 |
Common mistakes
- Resetting from the handicap on 31 December instead of the best three of the season.
- Counting three scores for a class. The 2023 scheme counts dozens of arrows.
- Keeping a class the archer earned two seasons ago. It lasts to the end of the season after it was earned.
- Awarding outdoor Master Bowman at club level. Outdoors that tier and the ones above it are awarded by Archery GB; only the indoor scheme is run by clubs.
- Doing indoors in January. The indoor reset is 1 July.
Work it out now
Look up one score in the free calculator, or open the records desk to keep members and scores and print the lists. Everything stays in this browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no account.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to my classification on 1 January?
You keep, for the new year, the best outdoor classification you gained last year. If you gained none, you become Unclassified.
Why did my handicap get worse on 1 January?
The reset averages your best three handicaps of last season, which can be worse than the handicap you finished on.
When is the indoor reassessment?
On 1 July, from the indoor season that ran from the previous 1 July to 30 June.
How many arrows do I need for a Bowman classification outdoors?
Eighteen dozen arrows at or above the threshold, shot at competitive events such as club target days.
Sources
Last reviewed 27 September 2026 against:
- How to be an Archery Club Records Officer: Part 4, Outdoor Classifications, Archery Geekery, published 7 April 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The arrow counts for each tier, the kind of event each tier needs, classifications held to the end of the next season, and outdoor Master Bowman tiers awarded by Archery GB.
- Overview of the new indoor handicap and classification systems, Archery Geekery, published 12 September 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Indoor arrow counts (10 and 15 dozen, the Master Bowman tier included), record status for the Master Bowman tier, and the indoor scheme run by clubs.
- Info: classification requirements, archerycalculator.co.uk, undated page, 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Dozens of arrows per tier outdoor (12, 18, 36) and indoor (10, 15), the kind of event per tier, and the field requirements in rounds.
- Classifications 2023, Glasgow Archers, undated, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Season dates (outdoor calendar year, indoor 1 July to 30 June) and a classification that cannot drop within a season.
- How to be an Archery Club Records Officer: Part 3, Handicaps, Archery Geekery, published 4 April 2023, read 27 September 2026. Used for: First handicap from three official rounds, improvement averaging, rounding down, season restarts on 1 January and 1 July from the best three, and one handicap per bowstyle indoors and out.
- 2026 Updates to the Archery GB Classification Scheme, Jack Atkinson, published 6 June 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Open replacing Male with unchanged scores, Female tables unchanged, handicap thresholds unchanged in 2026.
This guide is our own summary, not a rule book. Rules are paraphrased, never quoted at length, and if this page disagrees with the current published rules, the rules win. Endbook is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Archery GB, Archery Australia, Archery New Zealand, World Archery or any county or regional archery association.