From 12 to 14 June 2025, the German armed forces training area in Sondershausen (Thuringia) was once again the venue for an extraordinary shooting event: the 10th European Championship of Light Field Artillery took place. The event was organised by the only association offering this discipline in Germany, the Verband Deutscher Schwarzpulver Kanoniere e.V. (Association of German Black Powder Gunners, or VDSK). The competition was organised in accordance with the sporting regulations of the German Shooting Sports Union (DSU), of which VDSK is a member.
Technology and rules of the 2025 European Championship of Light Field Artillery
The international participants (VDSK also has members outside Germany) competed in crews of two to four people with historical guns in the 51- to 90-mm caliber range. Only black powder, preferably in cartridge case form, is permitted as a propellant in the competition. Bullets made of steel or concrete are used. Lead is expressly prohibited in this class. As we found out during a previous practice shoot, light field artillery gunners like to use decommissioned ball bearings from wind turbines to procure the projectiles for their sport. As these balls are manufactured very precisely and still have very low tolerances even after their service life in the wind turbines. The cannons are fired either by percussion cap ignition or with the aid of a fuse. The former can only be triggered using a pull cord at least 1.50 metres long, while fuses require a fuse rod at least 1.80 metres long.
The 2025 European Championship comprised disciplines at distances of 100, 200 and 400 meters. Five shots were fired in each discipline, which had to be completed in 45 minutes.
The disciplines were divided into:
- Men: 100 m with and without sights
- Ladies: 100 m with and without sights
- Women & men, joint classification: 200 m with and without sights and 400 m with open sights
Regardless of the discipline, historical uniform or garb was mandatory! Scoring then took place separately, depending on whether shooting was done with or without sights. Only fixed or removable sights with at least two fixed points were considered sights – modern aids such as telescopic sights, lasers or spirit levels were not permitted.
As with any shooting competition, safety is the top priority in cannon shooting. This includes the breaking down of each shot into different steps, which are "worked through" simultaneously by each gun crew. They are announced by the firing control with the commands "wipe & swab", "load and aim", "set primer" and "open fire (+ announcement from which direction of the firing line to fire)". The crews in turn communicate with flags. Green indicates to the supervisor that the move has been completed. Red indicates a failure.
Background information on and impressions of the 2025 European Championship of Light Field Artillery in Sondershausen
The venue was divided into two areas: the shooting range and a catering area with a camp, which many of the European Championship participants also used to stay overnight. There was a lively competition atmosphere on the shooting range, to which a good number of spectators also contributed. In the neighbouring area, both participants and guests were provided with drinks and food. The former in particular was necessary, as 14 June was extremely hot, so it was essential to stay hydrated. The excellent organisation was striking. There were no delays, everything followed a strict schedule. One reason for this was, of course, the relatively clear schedule of the shooting series, but on the other hand there is no way around this schedule, as VDSK President Volker Grabow told us. This is because the German Armed Forces have very strict requirements with regard to shooting times, as no aircraft are allowed to cross the shooting range during shooting. If the process were to be delayed, some of the starters would no longer be able to compete.
In addition to the competition itself, one of the highlights was the opening ceremony, which only took place on the last day of the competition. One reason for the delay was the availability of the guests of honour. After the entry and a few words of welcome from the VDSK President, the Bundeswehr leadership and local politicians, members of the Bundeswehr were awarded honorary membership and a team from the Bundeswehr in Idar-Oberstein was officially accepted into the illustrious circle of black powder gunners. It should be noted that Idar-Oberstein is home to the artillery school and the headquarters of the General of Artillery of the Bundeswehr and that the VDSK is a member of the Gesellschaft für Artilleriekunde e.V. (Society for Artillery Studies) at the artillery school. The VDSK also supports the Bundeswehr at public events.
All in all, the European Championship of Light Field Artillery was a great event, where the observer not only saw a spectacular shooting sport in action, but also experienced an atmosphere where not only was there black powder in the air, but also the enthusiasm of the participants for their extraordinary hobby could be felt throughout.
