THE
VEGAS SHOOT
George Ryals IV
GREETINGS FELLOW ARCHERS!
AS I WALKED THROUGH THE RIVIERA HOTEL I WAS
en. Albina Loginova (RUS) won the Compound Women and
feeling a little nostalgic about the old place, but am very
Reo Wilde (USA) won over Martin Damsbo (DEN) in what
excited for the new year in a brand new hotel. The South
turned out to be a nail biter of a preview of the Vegas finals
Point Casino will be the new home of the Vegas Shoot in
yet to come.
2012. It is a spectacular new venue with plenty of room for
WOW! WHAT AN EXCITING VEGAS SHOOT!
be in attendance, showing their new archery version of
It couldn’t be more fitting that our last year at the Riv-
a clay pigeon thrower—you will be able to try a shot or
and 30 sit down restaurants, the South Point will be a fan-
iera would have 1,600 archers (within 30 of record at-
two. Also, following on March 28th and 29th will be
tastic new place for the Vegas Shoot’s new home. However,
ship divisions, but there were a couple surprises in the flights
tendance in 2009), an increase in vendors and spon-
the Kentucky State NASP. There will be over 2,000 in
the familiar feel of the “Riv” is comforting, and I could feel
this year. Most notably, John Wheeler in the Bowhunter
sors—and even an increase in the payout. I want to
attendance and it’s great to watch if you haven’t had
the buzz of a new tournament year getting ready to spark
Freestyle Flights dropped a 900 72X on the competition.
thank all the shooters, vendors, NFAA and WAF staff,
the opportunity.
off.
The top two scores in the Bowhunter Freestyle Flights would
us to grow. With a 20-screen movie theater, bowling alley,
Thursday, all the hopeful contenders filed into the
ON THE VEGAS SHOOT SIDE OF THINGS As usual the competition was intense in the Champion-
have won the Bowhunter Freestyle Championship Division.
spectators and everyone else for making the Vegas Shoot
The finale of the 3-Star Tour will culminate at our
practice hall and, as usual, the atmosphere in the room was
Chris Berry won the Bowhunter Freestyle Championship
the biggest and best shoot in the world! This was also
NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Complex on April 15-17.
electric. As Vegas begins, we are looking at two big shoots.
Division over second place Matt Schmitz. Eric Lechner
our second year of the “Indoor World Cup.” It’s obvious
Everyone that has participated in Vegas and Louisville
The finals from the World Cup Indoor Challenge, and the
finished third. In the Barebow Division, Rick Stark ran away
from the attendance that this has grown in popularity,
will be eligible to shoot off for a new car! This is also
Vegas shoot itself.
with the competition with a 13-point lead. He took home
and next year will be much bigger with the addition of
when we will find out who is still eligible and shooting
the third leg in Singapore. Thanks to Olivier Grillat from
for the million dollars! We have made many improve-
Nimes and everyone at FITA for their work to make this
ments on the Archery FITA Field that you will enjoy—a
successful! I want to say a special thanks to the spon-
special thanks to the Easton Foundations for providing
machine from Laporte America. There was a line of shoot-
the funding for this incredible complex!
ers waiting to try their luck as the machine launched aerial
by three x’s over Garrett Abernethy. Gregg Robert ended
targets 20 feet in the air. It was surprising to the Laporte
up third. In the Compound Unlimited Championship Divi-
people how many of us were actually hitting the targets.
sion the competition was rough as usual. Shooters from
sors who definitely go the extra mile to help support
The Vegas Archery Show was jammed with new
$2,000. Richard Eckenburg finished second and Alan Eagle-
products to see and the booths were packed with shooters
ton finished third. In looking at the results in Barebow, it’s
trying to get their hands on the latest gear. Some surprising
interesting to note that out of the top twelve, ten shooters
additions to the show were the new archery trap shooting
were from California. In the Compound Unlimited Flights, Kelly Connor won
the Vegas Shoot, and have been an integral part of the
If you haven’t made your reservations for the Na-
moving of the shoot next year. It has been almost two
tional Outdoor in Yankton, don’t wait—do it now!! This
The guys said that the number of “strikes” in the Vegas
around the world competed for the Vegas Championship.
years since we thought about moving the shoot, and as
summer will be one of the largest gatherings of out-
show far outstripped the numbers from the ATA and the
The United States shooters are still the dominant winners.
you know, next year will be our debut at the South Point
door archery ever! This will be the NFAA National Field
show in Nimes, France. That’s right, people—we rock! The
However, Deitmar Trillus’ win last year marked the first time
Hotel and Casino. If you didn’t get a chance to see it,
Tournament (July 25, 26 and 27—this is a 3-day for-
Vegas show was packed, and if you didn’t make it to Vegas
the championship ring left the country. With shooters from
please go on their web page southpointcasino.com and
mat; your score will be counted for M/T/W only and you
you missed out on seeing and touching the latest rests, sta-
as far away as Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium,
take a look—I think you will be very impressed! There
may shoot for no score (fun) on Thursday and Friday),
bilizers, sights, and bows. There was tons of cool stuff there
France, Switzerland, England, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Phil-
will be much more to come on this in the near future.
NAA FITA Field (July 23 and 24), USA Archery Target
and a large part of it was new gear. Don’t even think about
lipines, and Thailand, the field is getting very deep in the
missing next year.
championship division and it is turning out to be an honest-
Nationals (July 28, 29 and30) and the Hoyt World Open
The festivities on Saturday night started off with the
to-goodness world event. The typical formula for competi-
tional Indoor Tournament. This year we are hoping for
(July 30) concurrent with Target Nationals. This will be
World Cup Indoor Challenge Finals and the shooter appre-
tion usually goes something like 40 or so will shoot 300 on
a record attendance and some great new vendors. We
a great opportunity for NFAA archers to try the NAA
ciation dinner that was immediately following the tourna-
the first day, then you cut that in half on the second day.
will again have the Practice with the Pros on Friday and
games and vice versa—hopefully you will try this. We
ment. After a series of tough set matches, the winners of
You have 20, 600 scores. During the last day you lose about
the famous Pro Am on Saturday evening—be sure to
will also be having some great fun including a BBQ and
the indoor challenge were Michele Frangilli (ITA) in Recurve
four or five more to the pressure. Once it’s all done we end
sign up for these ASAP! La Porte, a new sponsor, will
dance, some entertainment and a bunch of prizes!
Please be sure to get to Louisville for the 31st Na-
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Men. Louise Klinge Laursen (DEN) took the Recurve Womcontinued on page 6
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April/May 2011 5