League Rules

Last updated at 5:36 p.m. on the 26th January 2026

The League

1. The League 1.1 The name of the League will be the Toxophilites Of Universities Central And Nearby Challenge Trophy, herein referred to as "TOUCAN”.

1.2 Administration for the League will be carried out by the TOUCAN League Organiser, and assisted by the TOUCAN committee who shall be elected each year at the TOUCAN AGM (see section 5.)

1.3 The competition shall be contested between the TOUCAN clubs in two divisions:

1.3.1 Division 1 will be made up of 8 teams

1.3.2 Division two will be made up of 6 teams

1.3.3 The teams will be split into divisions in accordance with rule 2.2

1.4 The entry of any new teams into the League must be agreed by all current Club Captains well in advance of the start of that year’s league.

1.5 Each university must initially have an equal share of the available places at each leg and the Championships.

1.6 A minimum quota of 12 archers per university must be o ered at Division 1 legs, and 8 at both the Championships and Division 2 legs.

1.7 The TOUCAN League Organiser will levy a charge for all medals and the cost of the Indoor and Outdoor Championships to each competing university at the start of the season.

1.7.1 The fee to be paid to the TOUCAN League at the start of every academic year will be £100 per university archery club wishing to compete.

1.8 All shooting, except where otherwise specified, will be shot in accordance with the current ArcheryGB Rules of Shooting.

1.8.1 The ArcheryGB Dress Code does not apply, but team colours are encouraged.

1.8.2 All shooting will be carried out in timed ends, but each archer will receive a warning on the first occasion they exceed the time.

1.9 Individuals will be eligible for participation in the following categories: - Female - Open

1.9.1 Archers can compete in their preferred gender category, regardless of AGBs current gender reassignment policy.

1.9.2 Alternatively, archers may compete in neither category and instead compete as an individual. Their score will only be counted for team scores.

1.10 The team scores for the Challenge Trophy will be made up of the highest four non compound scores from each university in attendance.

1.11 The team scores for the Novice Challenge Trophy will be made up of the highest four novice non-compound scores from each university present.

1.12 Only archers who are eligible to compete at BUCS will be allowed to have their score taken as part of a team score.

1.13 Guests of competing universities will be allowed to shoot at the discretion of the organising club (who may decide to levy a charge on these guests) and the TOUCAN organiser. Scores from guest archers may not count toward team scores, but guest archers can compete for individual medals if they are a current student at a university which does not belong to any regional league.

1.13.1 Guest archers from TOUCAN Clubs at a leg that their club is not scheduled to compete at are not eligible for medals.

1.13.2 Guests must provide proof of Archery GB membership before shooting commences.

1.14 All archers (including guests) are eligible for TOUCAN badges as long as they shoot the required score and pay the correct price for the badge .

1.15 A "Novice" is a person who has not shot (except "have-a-goes"/summer camps etc) before September of the current academic year, and has not previously held insurance with an archery governing body.

Relegation and Promotion within the League

2.1 Following the end of the Indoor Championships the average score for each university is calculated.

2.1.1 Average Score is calculated as the mean of the top 3 team scores achieved by a university over their best 3 of the legs and/or Indoor Championship.

2.2 Division 1 for the following Season will consist of the top 8 universities based on average score

2.3 Division 2 for the next Season will consist of the bottom 6 universities based on average score.

2.4 If 2 universities have the same average score, then the team with the highest team score from the Indoor Championship is ranked higher, if the universities are still tied then go to the second highest team score thus continuing until a ranking occurs.

2.5 If a tie still cannot be decided, a single arrow shoot o will occur at the Outdoor Championships to decide who gets promoted.

Indoor Legs

3.1 Each of the competing universities will host a Portsmouth round (at their own expense), on a date agreed between them and their respective TOUCAN Division Organiser, giving at least two weeks’ notice of the event.

3.2 All competitions must fall within the combined term times of all competing universities.

3.2.1 Legs can be held outside of the combined term times with the agreement of the competing universities for that leg, and the TOUCAN Organiser.

3.3 The host club will always shoot at their own leg.

3.4 There will be eight categories in which medals for the following places will be awarded:

  • Open Experienced Recurve (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Experienced Recurve (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Novice Recurve (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Novice Recurve (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Experienced Barebow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Experienced Barebow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Novice Barebow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Novice Barebow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Experienced Compound (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Novice Compound (1st only)
  • Experienced Longbow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Novice Longbow (1st only)

3.5 Each division will have a number of complementary legs per year. The number of legs and the splits are as follows:

3.5.1 Division 1 will have 3 complementary legs with a combination of teams at each venue. These are preferably to be held on the same day, otherwise at the closest possible date.

3.5.2 Division 2 will have 3 complementary legs with a combination of teams at each venue OR all teams at a single venue over a number of sessions on the same day.

3.6 Points will be awarded to each team after each leg based on final team positions within their respective division.

3.6.1 1st place will receive points equal to the number of universities in the division (n), 2nd place will receive n – 1 points, 3rd will receive n – 2 points, 4th will receive n – 3 points, and so on.

3.6.2 If a team does not attend a leg they will receive 0 points.

3.6.3 Position is decided upon by total score unless tied, in which case it is decided on total hits and then golds.

Championships

4.1 In addition to the individual indoor legs, there will be an Indoor Championship, Outdoor Championship, Non-recurve Championship, and Field Championship competition.

4.2 All TOUCAN clubs are entitled to attend these competitions.

4.3 The Indoor Championship should be scheduled to take place after all other indoor legs have occurred.

4.4 Medals will be awarded in the following way at all championships:

  • Open Experienced Recurve (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Experienced Recurve (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Novice Recurve (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Novice Recurve (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Experienced Barebow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Experienced Barebow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Novice Barebow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Novice Barebow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Experienced Compound (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Experienced Compound (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Novice Compound (1st only)
  • Female Novice Compound (1st only)
  • Open Experienced Longbow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Female Experienced Longbow (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  • Open Novice Longbow (1st only)
  • Female Novice Longbow (1st only)

4.5 Additional medals will be awarded to teams at the Field Championship.

4.5.1 Team scores will consist of the highest compound score, the highest recurve score, and the highest barebow score for each university team.

4.5.2 Where a team does not have multiple bow styles on their team, the scores can be substituted in the following way:

Compound = Recurve, Barebow, Longbow

Recurve = Barebow, Longbow

Barebow = Longbow

4.6 Points will be awarded at the Indoor Championship for team positions based on their division as per rule 3.6.

4.7 The Challenge Trophy will be awarded to the Division 1 team who after the indoor championships has the greatest number of points

4.8 The Novice Challenge Trophy will be awarded in the same way.

4.9 Division 2 will also award a trophy to the experienced and novice teams with the greatest number of points.

4.9.1 In the event of a tie, the aggregate team score from each round will be added together to find a winner.

4.9.2 In the event that the aggregate scores are identical, the clubs contesting the Challenge Trophy must nominate four representatives who must down a pint consecutively. The winners of the Challenge Trophy will be the team who does this the fastest!

4.10 A Trophy will be awarded to the highest-scoring Open and Female archer across the indoor season.

4.10.1 The highest-scoring archer will be determined through aggregate points for every indoor leg and championship that they have attended.

4.10.2 All bow styles will be eligible for this award.

4.10.3 Should the highest-scoring archer position be tied, the trophy will be awarded based on total hits, and then by total golds.

4.11 Leading up to the Indoor Championship, scores will be collected for the Ultimate Archer awards.

4.11.1 TOUCAN clubs will submit a Portsmouth, Bray I, and Worcester score for any member who wishes to take part.

4.11.2 The scores will need to have been shot during the current academic year.

4.11.3 Scores can be shot in practice or in competition.

4.11.4 Medals will be awarded to Ultimate Archers as per rule 4.4.

4.12 An Outdoor Championship will run independently to the rest of the league, contributing no points towards the Challenge or Novice Challenge Trophy.

4.12.1 Awards for the Outdoor Championship will be announced on the day. 4.12.2 Medals will be awarded as per rule 4.4.

4.13 A Non-recurve Championship will run independently of the rest of the league, contributing no points towards the Challenge or Novice Challenge trophies.

4.13.1 Awards for the Non-recurve Championship will be announced on the day.

4.13.2 Medals will be awarded as per rule 4.4.

4.14 A Field Archery Championship will run independently of the rest of the league, contributing no points towards the Challenge or Novice Challenge Trophy.

4.14.1 Awards for the Field Archery Championship will be announced on the day.

4.14.2 Medals will be awarded as per rules 4.4 and 4.5.

TOUCAN Committee

5.1 A TOUCAN Committee shall be elected every year during the AGM.

5.2 TOUCAN League Organiser

  • 5.2.1 Will oversee the organisation of the TOUCAN Committee.
  • 5.2.2 Will control all TOUCAN finances, including issuing fee invoices at the start of each academic year.
  • 5.2.3 Will be the main point of contact for clubs hosting and organising TOUCAN competitions.
  • 5.2.4 Will be the main point of contact for external organisations such as BUCS and UKSAA.
  • 5.2.5 Will order su icient medals for each competition at the start of each academic year.

5.3 Division 1 Tournament Organiser

  • 5.3.1 Will organise the schedule for Division 1 TOUCAN legs.
  • 5.3.2 Will support club tournament o icers with planning legs if needed.
  • 5.3.3 Will ensure TOUCAN badges are available at every leg.

5.4 Division 2 Tournament Organiser

  • 5.4.1 Will organise the schedule for Division 2 TOUCAN legs.
  • 5.4.2 Will support club tournament o icers with planning legs if needed.
  • 5.4.3 Will ensure TOUCAN badges are available at every leg.

5.5 Social Media Manager

  • 5.5.1 Will ensure that tournament schedules are kept up-to-date on all platforms.
  • 5.5.2 Will manage TOUCAN social media accounts.
  • 5.5.3 Will create and organise the purchasing of TOUCAN merchandise.

5.6 Data and Rules Officer

  • 5.6.1 Will update and clarify league rules on the TOUCAN website.
  • 5.6.2 Will ensure all tournaments are on TamlynScore.
  • 5.6.3 Will update the website with results and standings after each leg.
  • 5.6.4 Will oversee data for Ultimate Archer and the Highest-Scoring Archer Awards.

Changes to the Rules

6.1 The rules listed here can only be changed by a vote open to all Club Captains. At least 10 votes must be received, and a 2/3rd majority must be reached for the rule change to pass.

6.2 A request for a change of rules can be put in by any member club at any time.

6.3 A rule change proposal must contain the following:

  • The rule number to be changed
  • The proposed new wording
  • Why the rule should be changed

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