Every year there are mounted archery competitions all over the world. However there are two large competitions that myself and/or my friends attend, and they are held annually in Korea and Germany. There are also competitions held in Hungary by Kassai Lajos for his students. In Korea the competition is Korean Style, and in Germany it is European style. However, both competitions also have a Mogu event. I believe that now both competitions are starting to incorporate each others styles into their competitions, making them both very well rounded competitions with varying events to test different aspects of horseback archery.  On this page you will find the rules and explanations for the different competition styles. Aside from the main competitions, there are other mounted archery practices, and those are alternating target shooting, and moving targets (rolling and aerial).

Korean Competition Styles

For Korean competitions, you are required to shoot from a quiver (or belt/boot), and are not allowed to shoot from your hand. The only exception for holding arrows in your hand is for the Mogu. During the Mogu you must hold your arrows in your hand because they are blunted and dipped in ink for scoring purposes. Bows must not have any kind of arrow rest or be a center shot.

All competitors have 2 tries for each event. The targets are square,and 1 meter in diameter, divided into 5 scoring areas (scored 1-5) with the inner bulls-eye being 20cm in diameter. All targets are placed 5 meters from the inside course rope. On all competitions, accuracy and speed are combined. However it is always the most accurate person, with the fastest score that wins. For example: often several people will hit the bulls-eye on the single shot giving them 5 points, but the three fastest times will win 1st-3rd place.

• Here is video of competition runs, as well as some interviews from this years competition (it is from a Korean website and may take a while to load, but is worth the wait).

Events

• Single Shot: A one target run on a 120 meter course, and you are timed from the starting line to the finish line. The target is placed at the 90 meter mark. You have 15 seconds to finish the course, and are deducted 1 point for every second you go over the time limit.
• Fast Shoot (Double Shot): A two target run on a 120 meter course, and you are timed from the starting line to the finish line. The first target is placed 60 meters from the starting point, and is angled towards the start, making it a forward shot target. The Second target is placed about 25 meters after the first, and is angled away from the starting point, making it a back shot. You have 15 seconds to finish the course, and are deducted 1 point for every second you go over the time limit. If you hit both targets you are awarded a 3 point bonus.
• Serial Shot: A 5 target run on a 150 meter course. The first target is placed 30 meters from the starting point, and every target after is placed at 30 meter intervals. All targets are side shots. You have 20 seconds to finish the course, and are deducted 1 point for every second you go over the time limit. If you hit all five targets, you are awarded a 5 point bonus. If you do not hit at least 3 targets, you are disqualified from that run.
• Mogu: One person pulls a Mogu ball (a wicker/bamboo ball frame about 60cm in diameter, covered in a sturdy cloth sack, on a rope about 30 meters long) on horseback, while another person follows and shoots blunted arrows (usually 2 arrows) to hit the ball. This is done on an open course, usually at least 100 meters long and 50 meters wide. The ball chaser is allowed to shoot forward, side, and back, depending on where the ball is. Marks on the ball are scored by how many times, and how well you were able to hit it. An accurate shot making a large splat on the ball, is worth 5 points. A grazed hit with a small splat is worth 3 points. Then a slightly grazing shot with no definite ink splat is worth 1 point. Making no contact with the target is 0 points. The course has no time limit, but is timed in case there is a tie.

• Team Mogu: The same rules as the one person Mogu apply for the Team Mogu. The Team Mogu is a team of two people working together to hit the Mogu Ball.

• Also, here is a mogu video with clips from the Korean Competitions as well as the European Championship (it is on a Korean website and may take a while to load).

• Ground Archery: Ground archery is based on three targets. First you Shoot at a large blue target with a bear face with what we call a “Baby Arrow” from about 40 meters. Second you shoot the iron tip (field tip) arrows at a large red target around 60 meters away. Then last you shoot at a very large green target with a deer face on it, from 110 meters.

Here are some pictures from the most recent International Horseback Archery Competition in Korea:

2009 the 5th International Horseback Archery Competition

European Competition Styles

The European Style course is a 90 meter run divided by four posts in 30 meter segments. There are three central targets at the 45 meter mark, and they are placed 7 meters away from the inside course rope (to the left).The three targets are faced in three different directions creating forward, side, and back shots. The competitors are allowed to shoot as many arrows as possible, usually shooting from arrows held in the hand. The course must be completed in at least 16 seconds, otherwise no score will be recorded.

The target scoring are as follows. The targets are standard school and recreational 32 inch Styrofoam (or woven hay) forms covered with a skirted target face of five colors and are widely available. Scoring of the three targets is according to the difficulty of the shot.

• Forward/Approach Target – gold=6, red=5, blue=4, black=3, white=2
• Side Target – gold=5, red=4, blue=3, black=2, white=1
• Parting/Back Target – gold=7, red=6, blue=5, black=4, white=3