Classification Questions

What is a temporary classification and can I have one?

New full members are entitled to request a temporary classification certificate to be issued to them once they have shot a minimum of 300 registered targets in any given discipline. This temporary classification will then be replaced automatically by a classification from the normal classification procedure on either the 1st of June or the 1st of December. The certificate must be produced when booking in at a shooting ground.
 
When are classifications issued and which scores are they based on?

Classifications are re-calculated every six months and implemented, as classification issue numbers, on the 1st of June and the 1st of December each year.

These classifications are calculated based on scores registered from the respective 12 month rolling shooting periods of the 1st of May to the 30th of April for the 1st of June issue and the 1st of November to the 31st of October for the 1st of December issue, as shown below.

 

 

How are my classification average(s) calculated?

Your classification averages are calculated based on the relevant 12 months of registered scores as shown above. These scores for each discipline are recorded by each ground and submitted to HQ using our Shoot 08 software program which enables collection of all the submitted scores against member’s shooting record in our central database with minimal intervention.

Once all of the scores are confirmed as received, each member’s classification average is calculated. The first calculation is a ‘raw’ average of all of the registered scores within the shooting period. Taking English Sporting as an example now; any scores below 10% (5% for DTL & ESK) of the average are now discarded and another average calculated on the remaining scores to give an ‘adjusted’ average.

For example, a member having shot the following English Sporting scores in a 12 month period would have a ‘raw’ and ‘adjusted’ average as shown below:

 

Scores
Member’s ‘raw’ average
Member’s ‘adjusted’ average
75
75 /100
75 /100
65
65 /100
*Dropped (under 10% of ‘raw’)
89
89 /100
89 /100
76
76 /100
76 /100
83
83 /100
83 /100
 
388 /500 [77.6%]**
323 /400 [80.7%]**

 


*10% (5% DTL, ESK) below the raw average is 77.6% - 7.76% which equals 69.84%, meaning that any score(s) of 69 or below is discarded.

**Calculated averages are truncated to 1 decimal place and not rounded, such as this case where 80.75% will be recorded as 80.7%.

This process and ‘adjusted’ average provides for a truer reflection of ability of each members shooting.
 
How are the cut-off points for the classifications calculated?

It is the ‘adjusted’ average then which is used to determine the cut-off points for each issue based on a minimum number of targets for each discipline which is 500 targets counting towards the ‘adjusted’ average for the major disciplines such as Down The Line, English Skeet and English Sporting.

The cut-off points are then determined based on the total number of shooters with ‘adjusted’ averages meeting the above criteria. Separating English Sporting for example into the top 5% (AAA), next 10% (AA), next 30% (A), next 30% (B), and last 25% (C).
 
 
How is my class determined?

Each member’s class is determined using their ‘adjusted’ average(s) compared to the cut-off points for the classification issue in each discipline.

Members can only gain or move up in classification once they have registered a minimum or 100 targets during the scores period and must have registered a minimum of 300 targets to move down a class (which is further restricted to one class per 12 month period).


Why is there a one month gap between the end of a 12 month shooting period and the issue of new classifications?

The one month gap gives the grounds 10 days from the end of month to submit outstanding scores and then allows time for validation of the scores for the 12 month period.

The averages for all members over all disciplines for the 12 months are then calculated and the cut-off points for the new classification issue determined after which the new classifications for all members are determined and checked in detail.

The process then moves to publication of new classification CDs for all the grounds, regions and counties for the 1st of June or the 1st of December and an automatic update to our website for all members to view the new classifications.

Although this gap could conceivably be only be a few days should all the scores be in at the end of the month etc... This buffer allows for everyone to transition to the new classifications at the same time and ensure equity of competition.

What is clay shooting?

Clay pigeon shooting is the art of shooting at special flying targets, known as clay pigeons or clay targets, with a shotgun.

More information...

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