FENLAND FIELD TARGET ASSOCIATION
Winter League Constitution & Rules
Winter League Constitution & Rules ( 2026 – 2027 Series )
The objective of the WINTER LEAGUE is to provide a series of shoots outside the National Calendar. Thus, the newer members may obtain a flavour of Competition whilst improving his/her shooting. The seasoned shooter can practice and maintain his/her skills. Prospective course builders will be able to demonstrate and refine their ability. The series will be conducted professionally and fairly, with a clear structure, but above all in a friendly atmosphere….
- 1) The WINTER LEAGUE series shall normally consist of each FENLAND club hosting a round at their home ground (this must remain flexible to allow for clubs joining or leaving the Region during the year), if through any reason the home ground is unavailable the club may elect to use a neutral site, this will be discussed, and may be voted on at committee. Currently there are 5 clubs Affiliated to the FFTA — Broadlands, Colne Valley, East Tree, Midshires and Sywell. There will be 7 W/L rounds this season with Broadlands, Colne Valley and East Tree holding two rounds each In the case that Midshires secure a suitable facility to host a round the published venues for rounds may be reconsidered. Any changes will be posted on the FTTA website.
- The Annual General Meeting will be held prior to the 1st Round of the season at Sywell. All FFTA shooters are welcome to the meeting. The start time will be 9.30am prompt. If you do not attend the meeting you will not be eligible to enter the first round of the Winter League.
- The WINTER LEAGUE results may be used by the Competition Secretary when selecting the team to represent Fenlands Region in the BFTA INTER-REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. 2027 will be the top 10 shooters then the Competition Secretary’s decision for the next 5 places.
- At the conclusion of the WINTER LEAGUE series ‘The FFTA CHAMPIONSHIPS’ will take place, with awards (all ungraded) to 3th place PCP, Winner in piston, Winner in Open & Winner in Sticks Class.There will be a small fee of £5 to enter this competition to cover costs. The shoot may also be used to conduct any shoot-offs required from the WINTER LEAGUE. The presentation of WINTER LEAGUE trophies will normally be carried out at the Championships.
- The B.F.T.A. Main Shoot Rules and safety rules will apply throughout the series of shoots. At the start of each shoot the ‘abbreviated Fenland shooting brief’ or a ‘club specific brief’ will be read out, a full written copy will be made available at ‘stats’, by ‘signing in’ the shooter is confirming they have read, understand and accept the various rules.
- The FENLANDS Competition Secretary and/or The Winter League Secretary will be responsible for the administration of the series including: – the collation of scores, forwarding scores for uploading to website as soon as possible after each shoot and also dealing with any disputes. The Competition Secretary may inspect the course for compliance to the rules prior to commencement of the first round.
| AM | 09.45 Briefing10.00 Shotgun Start | Main | Open | Sticks |
| PM | Start time dependant on club | Re-Entry Spring | Re-Entry(Open & Sticks) |
- Cost of entry will be presented at the AGM each year (already voted at the previous committee meeting) entry fees will be set to cover the running costs involved in the series, including the prize shoot, purchase of all trophies etc and still enable the Region to gain financially. For the 2026/2027 W/L cost of entry will be £7.00 each and all entries on the day, this includes entry to the Golden Shot. Golden Shot awards to be three of £10 in the AM sessions and two of £10 in the PM sessions, fixed for the season.
- The Region will supply scorecards, score sheets and a grading list. MAIN grade cards will be White, SPRING grade cards Green, OPEN Class cards Pink & Sticks class will be blue. Re-Entry will be white clearly marked with Re-Entry. We will use the same-coloured score sheets. The new style ‘all in one’ signing in form may be used in place of coloured sheets.
- Clocks/timers will be used throughout the Winter League Series for the Main/first round only. Except for Rule 13d) below failure to use a clock or timer will result in Rule 25) being implemented. Any clock or timer being used must be viewable by a marshal and/or other members of the shooting group.
- Shooters grades for the Winter League will be calculated internally by the FFTA Competition Secretary, so as to give a true representation of each shooter’s current ability within the Fenlands Region. Scores will NOT be submitted to the BFTA for, or towards national grading.
- Grades will be calculated each season, as follows:
11a) If you have a current FFTA grade percentage, this will be used as a start basis and together with your next two W/L percentages from your main entry you will then have a new FFTA percentage/grade for your third shoot. Grades for 2026/27 AA- A- B- C
11b) If you are a Fenlands Club member and start the series without an FFTA percentage from the previous year you will be allocated a start percentage of 84% as a basis and together with your next three W/L percentages from your main entry you will then have a new FFTA percentage/grade for your fourth shoot.
11c) Grade percentage boundaries will be calculated each year by the Competition Secretary prior to the season start.
11d) A shooter may elect to shoot in a higher grade; this must be done by advising the Winter League Secretary or Competition Secretary prior to their 3rd W/L shoot.
12.
12a) OPEN Class encompasses the existing OPEN Class’ as defined in the BFTA Rules
12b) Sticks Class encompasses the existing STICKS Class’ as defined in the BFTA Rules. BFTA Rules stipulate all shots must be taken standing in this class.
12c) STICK shooters using a seat of any description will be placed into the OPEN class. As per BFTA rules.
You will need to notify signing in before the shoot commences.
12d) a ‘SPRING GUN’ is defined as follows…
Any piston powered gun, including semi-recoilless, Whiscombe, Theoben etc.
Single or Multi pump pneumatic rifles are NOT classed as piston powered or Spring Guns.
13.
13a) The host club at each round will set out the main course, set out a practice area, provide marshalling, enforce safety, collect fees, ensure score cards are correctly and legibly filled in, collect score cards and complete the score sheets. A Competitor must not score his or her own card and each member of that squad must sign all cards. Cards and result sheets to be passed to the Winter League Secretary or his representative as soon as possible after the shoot, cards not handed in by the end of the shoot on the day will be deemed void. All monies to be passed over to the FFTA Treasurer, or the Treasurers Representative.
13b) No shooting on the main course until l0:00am The ‘Practice Range’ will close at the start of the Briefing (normally 09.45hrs sharp) and will not re-open until 11.30hrs. Note: Colne Valley-The PM session will not start until the Chief Marshal deems it safe to do so. Any person not on site when the briefing starts may shoot the morning round, but may not submit his/her card from the morning round for scoring. The exception to this will be when a shooter is unavoidably detained on the journey to the event and phones ahead to advise stats, afternoon rounds will score as normal.Contact either the Comp Secretary or your Club Captain so they can advise the Host club for that day.
All targets will be shot at in numerical order, if a target is shot at out of order, B.F.T.A. rules apply.
13c)For a shooter’s score to be recorded and to be counted in the competition they must be a bona-fide current member of an FFTA Affiliated club.
Any non-FFTA member may take part in a round of the FFTA Winter League providing they are either:
- A recognised member of a Regional club affiliated to the BFTA, or
- A shooter who has shot at a club affiliated to the FFTA and has been vouched for by that club.
If non-FFTA members take part their scores will not be included in the FFTA Winter League scores, but be recorded separately
13d) Courses to be shot through with paired shooters only. In the exceptional circumstance of a group of 3 shooters, the first shooter having shot at his/her targets will immediately move on to the next lane so that no delay is incurred, common sense must be used regarding using a clock or timer. 1 gun may be shared between a maximum of 2 shooters, provided no delay is incurred.
13e) A shotgun start will be employed (lanes will be allocated at signing in).
14. Any disputes 1) refer to the rules 2) contact the appointed Chief Marshal 3) contact the Competition Secretary (not whilst they are shooting) 4) contact a FENLAND COMMITTEE member.
15. At the end of the Winter League Series the following awards shall be presented.
For calculations all scores will be converted into percentages (with the exception of the team event)
If there are more than 10 shooters eligible for a Trophy in a Grade Trophies will the be given 1st to 3rd
15a) Individual trophies will be presented to the Winner & Runner Up in ‘AA’ ‘A’‘B’‘C’ grade in the Main -entry round. Counting scores shall be 2 rounds less than the total number of rounds in the competition (i.e., 5 counting scores for the 2026 – 2027 W/L).
15b) Individual trophies will be presented to the Winner & Runner Up in ‘A’ & ‘B’ grades in ‘Spring’ Re-entry. Counting scores shall be 2 rounds less than the total number of rounds in the competition (i.e., 5 counting scores for the 2026 – 2027 W/L).
15c) Individual trophies will be presented to the Winner & Runner Up ‘Open Class’. Counting scores shall be 2 rounds less than the total number of rounds in the competition (i.e., 5 counting scores for the 2026 – 2027 W/L).
15d) Individual trophies will be presented to the Winner & Runner Up ‘Sticks Class’. Counting scores shall be 2 rounds less than the total number of rounds in the competition (i.e., 5 counting scores for the 2026 – 2027 W/L).
15e) Individual trophies will be presented to the Winner & Runner Up ‘Re-Entry Class’. Counting scores shall be 2 rounds less than the total number of rounds in the competition (i.e., 5 counting scores for the 2026 – 2027 W/L).
15f) The Champion of Champions will be the shooter with the scores aggregated from his/her Main and Re-entry rounds (“pneumatic” the first time round and “spring” for the re-entry). Counting scores shall be 2 rounds less than the total number of rounds in the competition (i.e., 5 counting scores for 2026 – 2027 W/L).This Award is not open to Open, Sticks and Re-Entry classes.
Awards will be presented 1st to 3rd place, with the overall winner retaining the MICHAEL TAWN trophy for one year.
15g) A perpetual trophy will be presented to the shooter with the highest number of actual targets hits. Counting scores shall be 2 rounds less than the total number of rounds in the competition (i.e., 5 counting scores for the 2026 – 2027 W/L). Only open to the the grades in Main – AA, A, B & C
15h) The FFTA Winter League Shield, It was agreed to the cessation of the Trophy for 1 year. To be reviewed at the next AGM.
An absolute minimum of 3 scores must be submitted by any individual shooter to be eligible for any award.
16. Shoot-offs if required will normally (but not confined to) be conducted over a 3-lane representative Field Target course. 1 lane freestyle, 1 lane kneeling and 1 lane standing. If scores are still drawn after shooting these 3 lanes the targets will continue to be shot in sequence with sudden death after each lane is completed. In the event of a tie in the club/team result, the contesting clubs will each need to nominate a team of 4 shooters to take part in the shoot off. Variation to the above ‘shoot off’ rules may be allowed if all parties concerned are in full agreement.
17. Cancelling a shoot partway through for whatever reason will render all scores that day void, and the course will need to be shot again, preferably at the same ground at a date to be decided by committee.
18. The Spring gun round is a re-entry round: if the shooter’s only gun is a spring gun, their first-time round will be deemed to be their entry for the main and scored on a white score card. Should they wish to enter in the spring gun re-entry they will need to shoot round again, using a green score card.
Those shooting Spring/Piston rifle for their re-entry round (using a Green Score Card) will be graded ‘B’ up to 74.99 % and ‘A’ for 75% and over. Grading will be accumulated the same way as the Main Grading system.
19. Those shooting Open Class in both sessions, will shoot a team-scoring Pink Card first time round, then shoot a re-entry card(White) second time round. The score for the first round will be assimilated with the PCP shooters.
20. Those shooting Sticks Class in both sessions, will shoot a team-scoring Blue Card first time round, then shoot a re-entry card(White) second time round. The score for the first round will be assimilated with the PCP shooters.
21. All cards must be signed by the Shooter and all other persons shooting in their squad.
22. All cards must be marked to show which type of rifle is being used i.e. Spring or PCP
23. Course layout… As per the BFTA Main Shoot Rules (copy at the end of the document) with the exception that FFTA does not use Rule 7c i.e. Modified Length Courses.
24. Trophy/Awards List…
First Time Round PCP Winner & Runner Up
First Time Round Open Winner & Runner Up
First Time Round Sticks Winner & Runner Up
Re-entry Open & Sticks combined treated as 1 class Winner & Runner Up
Re-entry Piston Winner & Runner Up in each of the two grades
Champion of Champions 1st Annual award + keepsake, 2nd and 3rd keepsake
To qualify for the CoC you must use two different rifles one a PCP and one Piston power.
Highest Number of Targets Hit Perpetual award
FFTA Championships (all the positions are ungraded) Overall Winner = Annual Award
together with 1st – 3rd PCP, Piston Winner, Open Winner & Sticks Winner
25.Unless otherwise stated the penalty for infringing any of the above rules or disregarding Safety Rules or disregarding specific competition rules will be any or all of the following…………
A verbal warning, a written warning, disqualification from the course, a number of hit targets or a complete score being voided. Fenland Field Target Association must reserve the right to take any other action deemed suitable and/or sufficient.
Amendments.
W/L 2023 – 2024 No amendments
W/L 2026 – 2027 No amendments, this is a completely new and/or updated set of Winter League Rules
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