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Barebow archery is a modern discipline and a style of archery in which the bow is shot without any sighting devices, stabilizers, or other aids, emphasizing traditional shooting skills and instinctive aiming. [1] It is one of the official competition categories of World Archery and is featured in international events such as the World Archery Field Championships and The World Games. [2]
The roots of barebow lie in traditional archery practices used for hunting and warfare. In Europe, unadorned bows were standard until the late Middle Ages. Modern barebow gained recognition as a separate competition discipline in the late 20th century when World Archery began codifying specific rules for the style. [3]
Roger Ascham’s *Toxophilus* (1545), one of the earliest books on archery, already discussed shooting without technical aids, highlighting the importance of technique and instinct. [4]
Barebow equipment is defined by the absence of additional stabilizers, clickers, or magnifying sights:
World Archery rules allow only a simple weight for balance (up to 12 cm from the riser) and a standard arrow rest. Also, the entire unstrung bow, with allowed accessories, must be able to pass through a ring 12.2 cm in diameter. [1]
Barebow is contested in field archery, 3D archery, and increasingly in indoor target events. At the World Archery Field Championships, barebow is one of the three official divisions (alongside recurve and compound). Since 2017 World Games in Wrocław, barebow individual competitions have been part of the official program. [2]
Scoring follows standard World Archery target scoring, but archers compete at varying distances, often unmarked, testing adaptability and instinctive shooting. [6]
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