The 58th edition of the Vegas Shoot witnessed an intense battle in the Lucky Dog Shoot Off, with Nick Kapper emerging victorious after a thrilling contest. Kappers, hailing from Spring Valley, Minnesota, showcased his exceptional skill and determination in this unique shoot-off.
Kappers entered this week after making podiums at the Iowa Pro Am and Rushmore Rumble last month, but dropped a point on the first day of scoring. He was one of forty total archers who posted 899s this week. These archers entered the arena for a second chance at this evening’s Championship Shootoff.
After the first end, 11 archers were eliminated. The pressure continued to mount in the second end, both from the athlete’s own minds and the announcers’ reminders of the stakes: You win, you get a shot at fifty-eight thousand dollars. You lose, you go home.
By the 3rd end, Kappers found himself in a head-to-head battle with Canadian archer Isaac Bradford. Both men opened their duel with 9s, forcing another shootoff. Both archers’ narrowly missed the X ring again, forcing yet another shootoff. “Will the third time be a charm?” quipped the announcer. Staying collected, Kappers clinched the win, making a donut out of the X ring and making history in the books as the 2024 Lucky Dog Shoot Off champion.
“I have come close to [winning] the 10K and Lucky Dog, but to pull it off is a pretty big deal,” stated Kappers. The 2022 Pan Am gold medalist exuded calm confidence while discussing his approach to the Championship Shootoff this evening. “I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me, but I’m feeling good and I can do it.”
This win in the Lucky Dog Shoot Off not only adds a significant achievement to Kappers’ archery journey but also sets him up for a shot at $58,000 in tonight’s shootoff.
The intensity continues to build as we near the end of this year’s Vegas Shoot. Tune into the livestream of the Championship Shootoffs at 5:30 PST on Archery+ as Kappers and other Championship archers in different divisions compete for the title of 2024 Vegas Shoot Champion. follow @TheVegasShoot on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates.