FAQ, version 1.33, updated April 27, 2019
LEGAL STUFF
Is my air rifle legal in Belgium?
Belgium has no restrictions on airguns. You have to be 18 years old to own one, that’s it. The only thing is that it’s not allowed to have a silencer or moderator, whether it’s attached to your gun or just lying in your car. Exceptions: fixed shrouds, silencers or moderators are allowed. It has to be non-removable so it can be considered part of the gun. A bit of Loctite on the thread so you can`t unscrew it by hand is enough.
18 years old? And what about junior shooters?
If you’re under 18, you can only shoot under supervision of a parent or guardian.
Make sure your rifle is registered to your parent or guardian, as you can’t legally own it yourself.
Can I get an official letter of invitation?
If you’re flying into Belgium, we can provide you with an official letter of invitation, which makes getting through customs a lot easier. If you need one, please ask for it in your registration email. Don’t forget to include the make, model and serial number of your rifle, your full name (as it is on your passport), and your passport number. Be aware that the invitation letter is not a permit to travel through countries that have a limit for air rifles less than 16.3 Joule (Germany has 7.5 Joule, for example).
THE VENUE
What is the address of the venue?
La Ferme du Chateau
Rue Burlin 1
6927 Grupont, Tellin
BELGIQUE
How can I reach the organization?
Email voorzitter@h-ft-benelux.eu
What about catering?
There will be hot food and cold drinks, at reasonable prices. Vouchers can be bought for 5 or 10 euros. Unused (or partly unused) vouchers will not be refunded. They will stay valid for the next competitions organized by H-FT-Benelux.
Where can I park my car?
The chateau itself has parking places, located on and behind the central square, and along the driveway. There are sufficient parking places to accommodate the Open Benelux competitions. For the European Champions however, perhaps it will be necessary to use the overflow-parking. This parking is located at the Grupont train station, which is about 1 km from the chateau. Come to the chateau first; if the parking at the chateau is full, we will direct you to the overflow parking. There will be a shuttle service between the station and the chateau.
Is it possible to reach Grupont by public transport?
Yes. The train station of Grupont is situated on the main train line between Brussels and Luxembourg. Trains do not run very frequent, though. Those brave enough to travel by train, can call +31 (6) 44185238 to be picked up from the station.
Air-supply?
Several bottles of compressed air will be available, and filling-adapters for most common brands of air rifles (Air Arms, Steyr, Daystate, …). If you have an unusual rifle, bring your own adapter.
ACCOMMODATION
Is there on-site accommodation?
The group-accommodation (the “Gîte”) at La Ferme du Chateau is reserved for the course building team. The rooms in the Chateau itself are reserved for sponsors and other special guests. However, both the rooms in the Gîte and the rooms at the Chateau will probably not be fully booked, so there will be some rooms available to shooters. If you want to stay in either the Gîte or at the Chateau, please add this as a remark to your registration and we’ll see what we can do for you.
Hotels and B&B’s?
Plenty of other accommodation options are available close by. The Rochefort area has many hotels and B&B’s. We’re sure you can find something suitable using something like Booking.com or Tripadvisor.
Camping?
For those who prefer camping, La Clusure, one of the largest camp sites in Belgium, is only 3 kms away. And they also have rental tents, mobile homes and cabins (www.parclaclusure.be).
REGISTRATION AND ENTRANCE FEES
How to register?
You can register for the event using the form on the website. If that doesn’t work with you, you can mail your details (name, country, class, email-address) to wedstrijd@h-ft-benelux.eu. Registration closes on the 1st of April 2019, or as soon as the number of 320 participants has been reached.
How to pay my entry fee?
Entry costs to the event will be 50 euros for two days. Please pay your entry fee to H-FT-Benelux (ING, Belgium, IBAN BE43 6528 5583 2601, BIC BBRUBEBB), and make sure you mention HFT Euros 2019. Payments are due April 8th 2019.
International money transfer
As we know international money transfer from the UK, and some other countries, seems to be a costly problem, foreign shooters who ran into this problem are advised to contact our treasurer (penningmeester@h-ft-benelux.eu) about alternative methods of payment.
Do I need to pay in advance?
Yes. Please pay before April 8th, 2019. If we haven’t received your payment by this date, you can’t join the competition!
Do I get a refund if I cancel my registration?
No. As is usual in international competitions, we will not be issuing refunds for non-attendance or cancellation.
What is the maximum number of competitors?
320 HFT shooters.
What if there are more entries than the maximum?
Those who pay first, are in.
THE COMPETITION
What is the time schedule?
| On FRIDAY
Zero range 15:00-17:00 Welcome party 20:00-22:00 |
On SATURDAY
Gates open 8:00 Registration 9:00 – 10:30 Zero range 9:15 – 10:45 Chrono test 9:30 – 10:30 Safety brief 11:00 Start of the match 11:15 End match 15:30 Raffle 16:30 – 17:00 |
On SUNDAY
Gates open 8:00 Registration 8:30 – 9:30 Zero range 8:30 – 9:30 Chrono test 8:45 – 9:15 Safety brief 9:45 Start of the match 10:00 End match 14:30 Presentation 15:00-16:00
|
Will there be a chrono-test?
Yes, there will be a special “Chrono-lane”, somewhere on the course. Testing will occur during the match. You will be disqualified if you’re rifle is over 16,3 Joule (12 foot pounds). We will let you finish the match (without score) if your rifle is a little bit overpowered. If it’s over 20 Joule, we will ask you to leave.
Which set of rules will be used?
What classes are there to shoot in?
- Open, Springer, Lady and Junior.
- Veterans and .22 only when there are at least 3 participants in these classes.
- 5 Joule shooters are welcome, but we will not have a separate 7.5 Joule class and we will not build a separate 7.5 Joule course. Shooters with 7.5 Joule rifles can register in Open or Springer class. They will have to shoot the regular course, which will be quite challenging, as the majority of the targets will be further away then 30 meters.
Marshals?
There will be at least 4 non-shooting marshals on the course, and several shooting marshals.
Is there an international jury?
Yes. Andy Kays, Charles Peal and Frank Esser.
National teams competition
Each participating country will be represented by two national teams, one in Open class and one in Springer class. These National teams will not be selected upfront. The results of the best shooters of the same Nationality will count to the result of the team, in the classes as mentioned below:
- Open class national teams: the best 4 scores over 2 days,
- Springer class national teams: the best 3 scores over 2 days.