British Horseback Archery Association
The British Horseback Archery Association is the governing body for the sport of horseback archery in the UK. It is a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers throughout England, Scotland and Wales, with close links to the national association in Ireland (we work together for those in Northern Ireland) and individuals in the Channel Islands.
Club
The BHAA has clubs throughout the country and organises competitions at a local and national level. Formed 10 years ago, the last 2 years have seen significant growth for the BHAA both in terms of numbers practising the sport and dissemination of expertise throughout the UK. We hope to affiliate the BHAA to the British Equestrian Federation when we have sufficient members to qualify as a member sport.
Members
Senior members of the BHAA have been working over the last 4 years with those from other European countries to develop the European Grand Prix series which has become the most prominent event on the competition circuit in Europe. The team format encourages both the mentoring and development of up-and-coming competitors, as well as encouraging team spirit and cooperation.
IHAA
Internationally, the BHAA has been instrumental in developing the International Horseback Archery Alliance. Britons have been the first President and the current Secretary of this organisation which has become the main international body in our sport. Its primary goal is to construct a unified set of rules which are followed across the world;
Challenges
Within the BHAA we have also been working with a charity for injured veterans who use horsemanship to aid in the rehabilitation of those with physical disabilities and PTSD. The self-belief stemming from making progress at a challenge such as horseback archery has been very significant for some in turning their life around; a huge amount of trust is required to let go of the reins and shoot an arrow from the back of a horse. At the BHAA we hope over the next few years to do more to enable disabled sportsmen and women to take part in horseback archery. It is a founding principle of horseback archery that everyone competes together on an equal basis - male or female, young or old - and rather than focusing on disability, we wish to help para-athletes explore what they can do in horseback archery and allow them to enjoy the partnership and challenge that we all thrive on.