ASA Archery Information and Classes: Ultimate Guide
The Archery Shooters Association (ASA) is a worldwide organization dedicated to the advancement of archery and bowhunting.
Archery Shooters Association, LLC is located in Kennesaw, GA, United States and is part of the Management Consulting Services industry. It has a total of 4 employees across all its locations.
This company puts on hundreds of 3D Archery tournaments per year and is one of the fastest-growing archery organizations. Members pay an annual fee, which allows them to be involved in this rapidly growing sport.
There are two types of ASA: National and State. National level is known as the McKenzie Pro/Am Tour and state level is named the ASA Federation.
The majority of the 3D archery tournaments you’ll find will be hosted by certified archery clubs around the country. These clubs specialize in providing visitors with a memorable experience.
In the state level of competition, an ASA qualifier is held. Archery Qualifiers consist of at least one round of 20 3D targets, or more, set up so that an archer can complete the course in one day.
Archery competitions happen in either a “shotgun” start or staggered start. A “shotgun” start uses all 9 stations at the same time while a staggered start has each group go one after another, starting at different stations.
You can use a rangefinder for the Known distance targets, but not for the Unknown distance targets. Archery is an individual skill. You need to judge the distance of your target as you are approaching them in order to take a shot.
The known and unknown format matches the same class types for archers at State and National levels. This means that you can move back & forth between those competitions without any confusion.
McKenzie ASA Pro/Am Tour
Unlike an ASAA qualifier, the ASA Pro/Am consists of a two-days round of 20 3D targets. It begins with a shotgun start.
The McKenzie Pro/Am Tour is an annual, 5 tournament circuit held across the US. All participants are ASA members in good standing and the competition is open to anyone.
These events include:
- Hoyt Pro/Am
- Black Eagle Pro/Am
- Easton Shootout
- Mathews KY Pro/Am
- McKenzie ASA Classic,
There are various events happening across the US and Europe, usually in different locations each year. The locations are always based nearby and you can find out more about the next event at their website: complete up-to-date list here.
Each group must start with a target minimum 15 minutes before the “shotgun” start time. Groups should consist of 5 or 6 archers, but it is recommended that groups have 5 to make it easier for the flow.
They also publish “A Guide to Attending” which includes all of the information you need. They even include what you can expect for weather conditions and shooting conditions on the range.
ASA Archery Scored?
Setting up your scoring in ASA is the same for both State levels and Professional/Amateur rates: All targets are supplied by Delta McKenzie Targets. The 3D target is divided into specific areas and each arrow is given a score.
Getting the 10-ring target in the center is worth 10 points. It also has 2 smaller rings with a value of 12. The lower 12-ring is the only valid ring you can shoot unless you signal to the range officer that you would like to hit the upper.
The next outer ring is worth 8 points and scores slightly below the center. You should only use the top 14 rings of your target for a normal shooting event.
To give you some general guidelines, these are the rules for ASA tournaments. Click here to see the complete and detailed scoring rules. You can also purchase ASA scoring rings on Amazon.
ASA Classes
Classes in ASA competitions are the same at both the Pro/Am and Federation levels. ASA defines a competition class by combining the following factors:
> archery equipment, and
> competition career.
All competitors in the ASA must be a current ASA Member.
Archery Equipment
There are 6 general classes based on equipment:
- Open Class Equipment
- Fixed-pin Class Equipment
- Crossbow Class Equipment
- Traditional Class Equipment
- Olympic Recurve Class Equipment
- Barebow Recurve Class Equipment
Open Class Equipment
In the open class, you can use any compound or recurve bow with any sight (including magnification), stabilizer, release or equipment that is not specifically prohibited.
Things that are prohibited across all classes are broadheads, retaining mechanisms on anything other than a crossbow, laser sights, and support sticks of any kind. ASA makes exceptions on a case-by-case basis for those who need them for physical challenges.
Fixed-pin Class Equipment
In this class, there are 2 limitations: Sights and Stabilizers. Fixed sniping pins are the sights of choice for shooting at ranges of 40 yards or more, but any point-and-shoot sights can be used for distances up to 30 yards. Front stabilizers must be 12 inches or less and rear stabilizers have no restrictions.
Crossbow Class Equipment
The Crossbow class equipment is quite detailed and specific. You must have a trigger for your crossbow and use a scope up to 6x magnification. You cannot use any type of red-dot or scope that projects an image for the reticle. For all the information about crossbows, visit the site here.
Traditional Class Equipment
In the Traditional class, only bows that are either recurve or longbow are allowed. Bow sights and overdraws (devices used to draw a bowstring back) are not allowed, as well as draw checks (devices used to measure the amount of force applied when drawing a bowstring back).
When you draw your bow, you must have your finger on the arrow nock. This means that “fixed-crawl” and “string walking” are not allowed in this class. Neither can you mark the string or tab for aiming purposes.
This means you can have a single front stabilizer – it cannot be longer than 12 inches.
All arrows should be the same length, weight, and construction. This class encourages you to hone your skills with minimal help from technology.
Olympic Recurve Class Equipment
World Archery classifies equipment for the Olympic Recurve category under Chapter 22, Section 22.1.
You can put all the bells & whistles you want on your recurve bow EXCEPT magnified sights. It’s pretty detailed, but it basically says no magnified sights are allowed.
Barebow Recurve Class Equipment
Best for intermediate-level archers, the Barebow recurve is a hybrid style that’s generally halfway between Olympic and traditional recurve bows. The equipment must meet certain World Archery requirements, just like competitive Recurve bows.
No stabilizers are permitted, but you may use vibration dampeners and weights if they are fixed directly to the bow and don’t have stabilizers. Again, clickers are not permitted, so please do not use them.
String walking or fixed-crawl is permitted. You can use a tab or glove. If a plunger-type arrow rest is placed on the bowstring in such a way that it does not significantly change the draw length of the bow, then it is allowed.
Archer’s Competition Career
In the ASA, an archer’s career is defined by how much prize money they have earned combined with their best ranking results. These classes are:
- Young Adult & Youth
- Amateur
- Semi-Pro
- Professional
Young Adult & Youth Class
The Young Adult & Youth Class applies to anyone under 18. We have a specific breakdown by age for the tournament year:
- High School – 15 years to 18 years
- Middle School – 12 years to 14 years
- Elementary – 9 years to 11 years
- Junior Eagle – 6 years to 8 years
Amateur
For most beginners in 3D archery, over the age of 18, this would be your starting point. With 25 different classes in this division, no matter what your preference is for the type of bow and style of archery, there’s a class for you!
Other than the type of equipment, each class has different restrictions about how fast your bow can launch an arrow. Things start off slow with Women’s Hunter at 260 feet-per-second (FPS) and Crossbow maxes out at 330 FPS.
Traditional Class is the widest ranging of all the classes- students may cover a distance of up to 25 yards away from their target. If they are taking open A class, they may shoot approximately 50 yards away.
Some classes are designated with a “(+)” sign. These classes require that, for the next competition season, you must move up to a higher class when you meet the following requirements:
- You win an amount equal to 12 times your class entry fee with Shooter of the Year bonuses
- You rank in the Top 10 two times OR you rank in the Top 5 one time.
You can move up when you win 10 x the entry fee worth of payouts and also if you reach the Top 10 or Top 5 ranks. But, you MUST move up when you have met those requirements. This is a list of all the possible conditions when moving up to the next rank.
Semi-Pro
Once you’re done with amateur classes, the next step is Semi-professional. Unlike amateur, Semi-pro only has 5 levels.
- Semi-Pro Open (+)
- Known 50 (+)
- Senior Know 50
- Women’s Known 45
- Crossbow 45
Although there are 25 Arduino classes in Amateur, there are only 5 different Semi-Pro courses. As it’s implied, the classes with a (+) sign must move up to the next Pro class once you meet their conditions.
Professional
Professional or Pro Class privileges are only available to ASA members who have been certified as an ASA Pro and paid their annual fee.
A Pro is an archer who:
- competes in archery events as a certified professional in any event other than 3D, indoor, or field events.
- receives $4,000 worth of gear, services, or direct cash from sponsors;
- has won over $10,000 worth of ASA Pro/Am prizes while in archery
With less than $300 won in the previous year, you will be moved down to Semi-Pro Class. You can be moved down to Amateur Class if approved by the Competition Committee.
NOTE: Winning the prize money does not equate to being placed into a class division. ASA Pros are eligible to compete as “guest shooters” only at the Federation (State) level and may not qualify for an ASA Championship Classic through the Federation Tour.
