Winter programme

The indoor Portsmouth League is open to all club members. Participants submit their best Portsmouth scores each month during the winter to compete for club trophies. The Portsmouth progress badge scheme allows members to collect badges by shooting Portsmouth rounds (5 dozen arrows at 20 yards). Badges are awarded for achieving scores starting at 300 and continuing in steps up to 600.

Indoor Bray shoots take place on a regular basis during the winter season. To complete a Bray round, archers shoot 30 arrows at smaller, 40cm target faces, again at a distance of 20 yards. The handicapping system ensures that all archers can compete on an equal footing for the end-of-season Bray handicap trophy.

At Halloween Fun Shoots members shoot at Halloween-themed pictures of witches and pumpkins and the like. Traditionally, the scoring is random and the winners receive pumpkins as prizes. In those years when bad weather turns the outdoor midwinter Frostbite Shoot into an indoor Christmas Fun Shoot, Santas, snowmen, baubles and so on are favoured. Again, the scoring is random and chocolate Santas are traditional prizes.

Archers can earn Frostbite badges during the winter season by shooting outdoor Frostbite rounds (3 dozen arrows at an 80cm target face at 30 metres). Badges start at 200, continuing in steps up to 355. Weather permitting, HEA’s annual Frostbite Shoot is an outdoor event that may be a target shoot using club bows or a clout shoot, with archers competing for the HEA Frostbite Trophy.