What is the Bray Round?

The Bray Round is a popular indoor archery competition format, widely used in clubs and tournaments around the world. Known for its accessibility and straightforward scoring, it provides archers of all skill levels with an opportunity to test accuracy and consistency in a controlled indoor setting.

Format of the Bray Round

The round is defined by its simplicity:

• Distance: 20 yards

• Target face: 40 cm, with scoring zones from 10 down to 1

• Arrows: 30 in total, shot in ends of three

The Bray Round is designed to be completed in a relatively short period, making it well-suited for club nights, league matches, and indoor tournaments.

Using the standard ten zone scoring system a maximum score of 300 is possible

For scoring details, see the Archery Scoresheet.

Variations of the Bray Round Round

Depending on the length of indoor facility two distances are available.

• Bray I – 20 Yards

• Bray II – 25 Yards

 Each round includes:

6 Sighters followed by
30 arrows

This is a short round great for indoors with the possibility of several rounds in an evening.

Equipment Considerations

All recognised bow styles may be used: recurve, compound, barebow, and longbow.

History

The Bray Round traces its roots to Ireland, where it was first standardised at Bray, a coastal town south of Dublin. Indoor rounds became increasingly important during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as archers sought ways to continue competitive practice during the winter months. The Bray Round emerged as a short, precise format suited to limited indoor spaces, and its adoption spread beyond Ireland as archery societies began formalising competition structures.

Final Thoughts
From its Irish origins to its place in modern indoor competition, the Bray Archery Round represents both tradition and practicality. Whether for beginners learning scoring systems or advanced archers refining their aim, it continues to serve as a cornerstone of the indoor archery calendar.