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Event Rules

Last updated September 22, 2023. 

Round Basics

Target: All Championship (including Championship Young Adult) Divisions and Flight Divisions will shoot on either the 40 cm Vegas three-spot target face with gold – red– blue (10-9-8-7-6) scoring areas or the 40 cm single-spot face with 10 through 1 scoring. The x-ring of the 40 cm Indoor Vegas Face will be used for tiebreaks in the Flights divisions and for 4th place or below in the Championship divisions.  After the fifth end of the competition, target faces are changed from bottom to top or vice versa.

 

Non-Championship Cub, Youth, and Young Adult recurve divisions will shoot on the 60 cm Indoor Face with 10 through 1 scoring. Cub, Youth, and Young Adult compound divisions will use the standard single-spot 40 cm Indoor Vegas Face or the Vegas three-spot target face.

 

Archers using the dual-face Vegas target can switch target faces (single-spot or three-spot) at any time during practice rounds and competition.

 

Distance for all Divisions: 20 Yards

 

Rounds: Each round on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will consist of 10 ends; 3 arrows per end. The Junior (Non-Championship) Divisions will shoot only two rounds; one each on Friday and Saturday. A time limit of 2 minutes per end will be used.

Round Rules

You may enter either a Championship division, Flight division or Junior Division. Archers may only register in ONE division and style and will remain in the same division all three days. The number of entries in that division will determine the number of places offered in each division. Based on last year’s registration, the number of places offered this year would be as listed. Final prize money amounts will be based on attendance, this may be different from the published awards.

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IMPORTANT! Archers 12 years of age and older may compete in a Flight or Championship division. Any prize money awarded to archers under 15 will be awarded in the form of scholarships. Only archers 15 and older will be eligible for cash prizes. 

 

Non-English Speaking Competitors: Every effort will be made to contact those archers who require assistance to understand the equipment divisions, scoring procedures, tournament rules, etc.  Please notify a tournament staff person if language or other circumstances may cause communication problems.

 

Flights: Flight placements will be determined at the discretion of the tournament management. The method or methods used for determining the flights can be any combination of all three days of competition.

 

Junior Divisions:  There will be two Junior divisions open to all archers, 17 years of age or younger; Compound and Recurve. Each division will offer three age groups in Male and Female categories; Cub (11 and under), Youth (12-14) and Young Adult (15-17). The archer must be the appropriate age at the start of the competition and remains in that category even if they celebrate a birthday during the competition.

 

Junior Divisions will shoot only two rounds; one each on Friday and Saturday. Archers may only register in ONE style and division and will remain in the same division on both days of competition. Vegas Shoot scholarships will be presented to the top 3 place winners in each Junior Flight Division.

 

Championship Young Adult Divisions: There will be two Championship Young Adult divisions available to archers under 17 years of age; Compound and Recurve. Championship Young Adult divisions will compete for cash prizes in a male/female-combined division. Participants must be 17 or under at the start of the tournament to compete in these divisions. Any prize money awarded to archers under 15 will be awarded in the form of scholarships. Only archers 15 and older will be eligible for cash prizes. 

 

Championship Young Adult divisions will shoot three rounds of competition; one each on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

 

Ties: Championship division (including Championship Young Adult) ties for first, second, and third place will be determined by the highest total score from all three days of competition, not counting x’s. All competitors tied with the same high score at the end of the third day will compete in a shoot off to determine final places.

 

The shoot off will include one practice end followed by end-by-end sudden death. The first end will be scored with regular scoring followed by scoring where only the x ring scores 10 points. After each end, only those still tied with the highest score will continue in the shoot off. All archers’ placement in the tournament (other than first, second or third) will be determined by the order in which they drop out of the shoot off. If more than one archer drops out of the shoot off in the same end, those archers will be placed based on their total score and x-count of all three days, including the score and x’s accumulated in the shoot off.

 

All other ties (Flight and Championship) will be broken by the highest score and highest x count. Ties remaining after x count, will equally split the combined payout of the tied positions.

 

Updated! All Junior Division ties will be decided by the highest score in the following sequence 1) total x count  2) 1st round score (not including x count)  3) 2nd round score (not including x count)  4) 1st round x count  5) 2nd round x count  6) 1st end through 20th end score (not including x count) 7) 1st end through 20th end x count.

 

“Lucky Dog” Shoot Off: Any archer in the Championship Compound Open Division that shoots a 3-day total cumulative score of 899 will be eligible to shoot off for one spot with the 900’s in the Championship shoot off. The 899 shoot off will be held Sunday, time to be determined.  It will be a 1-arrow/end sudden death shoot off (1st arrow counting the X as a 10, then for each subsequent end counting the X as 10 scored inside out- no practice ends). All qualified archers must turn their scorecards in at the podium within 10 minutes of the conclusion of the regular round.  The “Lucky Dog” can be the “Vegas Champion” by winning the 900’s shoot off or will place at the top of the 899’s in the regular ranking placement.

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"$10K-A-Day" Shoot Off A $50 registration add-on will be available to all Championship divisions. Archers that pay the $50 add-on fee (prior to the start of the competition) will be eligible for the $10K-A-Day Shoot Offs on Friday and Saturday. To qualify for either Shoot Off, eligible archers must score a 300 on the respective day. The winner-takes-all Shoot Off will take place at the end of each day on Friday and Saturday, and use the same rules as the Lucky Dog Shoot Off. Each winner will be awarded $10,000. 

 

900 Guarantee: All Championship Division archers shooting a score of 900 will be guaranteed a minimum prize of $2,500. 

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Collegiate Scholarships The Collegiate Scholarship program is open to all full-time students at a two- or four-year university or technical school. Current high school students are not eligible. To be eligible, collegiate student-athletes must pay the $50 collegiate add-on during registration.

 

The scores from the first two days of competition will decide the collegiate results. Archers can participate in the flight or championship competitions at The Vegas Shoot but will be ranked for collegiate purposes in divisions of Male and Female - Compound, Recurve, Bowhunter, and Recurve Barebow.

 

The top three student-athletes in each division will receive scholarships valued at $500, $300 and $200, respectively, for use toward higher education.

 

Schools will also be ranked on a cumulative team score. The top score from each school in each of the equipment divisions (Compound, Recurve, Bowhunter, and Recurve Barebow - Male or Female) will be used to create the cumulative team score. The top three schools will receive $750, $500 and $300, respectively, for their team or club.

Shooting Rules

  1. Each end (time period to shoot three arrows) shall be 2 minutes.

  2. Archers shooting first will shoot the lower target face positions.

  3. An archer shooting before the whistle signaling a 2-minute end or after the time has lapsed will lose their highest scoring arrow or arrows equaling the number of errant arrows shot.

  4. For Championship & Young Adult Championship divisions only: one arrow is allowed per spot on a three-spot target face. If there is more than one arrow in a single spot, you will lose your highest scoring arrow or arrows in that spot.

  5. If more than 3 arrows are shot during an end, only the lowest 3 arrows will be scored.  A penalty of one point and one x (if applicable) will be assessed for each additional arrow shot. Misses or zeros will be counted as lowest arrows.

  6. If an archer shoots less than three arrows in one end and retires from the line, he/she may shoot the remaining arrows if the omission is discovered before the end is officially completed and the line has not been cleared; otherwise they shall be scored as misses.

  7. An archer who purposely disfigures a target face to improve aiming or for any other reason may be disqualified.  Arrow holes may be repaired, provided there is no delay to the round.

  8. For Championship divisions, targets must be replaced with a new face after the 5th end.

  9. Any archer conducting himself in an unsportsmanlike manner will be immediately disqualified and removed from the site.

  10. Peak compound bow draw weight shall not exceed 80 lbs.

  11. Maximum arrow shaft diameter allowed will be 0.422 inches, with a point diameter not to exceed 0.425 inches. The shaft diameter will in­clude any wrap placed on the arrow and will include the size of the nock and the nock insert.

  12. If the arrow wrap, nock, or nock adapter exceed 0.422 inches and are embedded in the scoring area, the arrow shall NOT be scored and will be reshot.

  13. Any equipment that impairs the hearing of the competitor, such as electronic voice communication devices, headsets or noise reduction devices will not be allowed on the shooting line. 

  14. Any archer that is hearing impaired must notify officials prior to shooting.

  15. Arrow twirling will be permitted as long as it is not disruptive or dangerous to other archers or the event. A warning may be given by a tournament official if the twirling or handling of an arrow is deemed as disruptive or dangerous. Repeated violations may result in the removal of the archer from the competition at the tournament official's discretion. 

  16. Target pins cannot be larger than 1.5” in any dimension from the surface of the target face. Archers will be provided x1 set of four (4) target pins in their registration packet. Additional target pins will not be supplied in the shooting halls.

  17. No archer shall draw a bow in any manner that if accidentally released could fly beyond a safety zone or a safety backstop. A warning will be given on the first instance. The second instance will require the removal of the archer from the event. 

  18. The maximum total width of the archer and their equipment may not extend into the adjacent shooting lanes. 

 

Protests:  Any incident requiring immediate decision must be brought to the attention of a judge.  All protests must be submitted in writing to the Tournament Director within one hour of the conclusion of the round where the incident occurred, accompanied by $50 USD. The Tournament Rules Committee will convene approximately 1 hour after the last scoring end of each day to decide the outcome of each protest. All decisions of the Tournament Rules Committee will be final. The $50 protest fee will be returned if the Tournament Rules Committee rules in favor of the protest. No protests are allowed during shoot offs, judges decisions are final.

 

Equipment Failure: In the event of equipment failure, step back from the shooting line and raise your bow above your head.  A judge will come to your assistance.  The archer will have 15 minutes of repair time without holding up the tournament. One practice end will be allowed.  The archer shall be allowed to shoot any arrows missed during the 15 minutes.  All make-up arrows will be shot at the end of the round. There will be no allowance for equipment failure in shoot offs.

 

Dress Code for Championship Divisions (Updated for 2024): 

 

All Championship Divisions participating in a Championship Shoot Off or Awards Podium are required to meet the following dress code standards (does not include $10K-A-Day Shoot Off):

 

Archers shall present themselves in clean and neat attire, acceptable to public view.  Blue jeans/denim and any bottoms with holes, tears, or frayed material are not allowed. Archers shall wear pants, shorts, or skirts. Shorts and skirt hems should be an appropriate length. Shirts/tops shall be of a collared design. Shirts must have a standard collar, Henley collar or mock collar. T-shirts, swimming suits, cut-offs, and obscene or vulgar slogans or pictures on clothing are prohibited. Open-toed shoes/flip flops/sandals are unacceptable while competing. 

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All Championship Division participants are required to meet the following dress code standards during Official Rounds: 

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Archers shall dress in a clean, professional manner. Bottoms should look fitted, clean, undamaged, and be of appropriate length. The waist of the attire shall not fall below the waistline. No ripped or frayed jeans. T-shirts, swimming suits, cut-offs, and obscene or vulgar slogans or pictures on clothing are prohibited. Open-toed shoes/flip flops/sandals are unacceptable while competing. 

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Smoking is Prohibited in the Shooting Halls. Smoking is Allowed in Designated Areas Only. Please Obey all No Smoking Signs.

Scoring Rules

Ianseo is the official electronic system for scoring.  Archers are assigned their a,b,c or d placement by Ianseo which determines the order for scoring.  When scoring, archers identify who is the caller, scorer and target captain for their bale.  The Captain helps to settle the final call on an arrow.  If the group can’t determine a final score, then a line judge is called. A,b,c,d physical target face placement is first come first serve.  Archers will be responsible for understanding the scoring procedures and verifying their scores.  Free access will be provided to an Official Vegas Shoot Scoring link and mobile app where scores will be available on smartphones, kiosks, and monitors throughout the venue.

 

  1. A judge will make all decisions on scoring questionable arrows; their decisions are final.

  2. All arrows must remain in the target, untouched, until scoring is completed.

  3. Any archer intentionally touching any questionable arrow or any part of the target assembly (including other arrows, faces, pins, mat or stand) will result in the questionable arrow being scored in the lower scoring area. If it happens more than once, then the archer will be disqualified.

  4. The three-spot target face is scored on the gold (10,9), red (8,7), and blue (6) rings. The target face must be placed on the mat in an upright position.

  5. Arrows must touch the line to be in the next highest scoring area.

  6. Any arrow that passes beyond the shooting line a distance greater than 10 feet as measured to the closest part of the arrow, will be considered a shot arrow. See mark on the floor.

  7. If an arrow is embedded in the target beyond the nock, a judge must be called and the arrow should not be touched. If the arrow is touched before the judge arrives, then the arrow is not scored. If a judge cannot determine the value of that arrow, it will be considered a pass through and will be re-shot. No arrows will be pushed back.

  8. Bounce outs can be shot again at the end of regulation shooting.

  9. Each competitor must complete and sign his own scorecard. Both scorers must also sign it. When there is a difference on the two cards, the lowest score must be taken. Scoring tablets and paper scorecards must be turned in at the scoring table, in your assigned arena or hall, immediately following shooting. To be considered valid, scorecards must be turned in within one hour of the final end.

  10. All scoring on the official scorecard must be completed in ink. Any changes on the official scorecard must be agreed upon and initialed by all archers in the scoring group. Any archery turning in an incorrect scorecard will be subject to disqualification. 

Equipment Rules

All divisions, except Recurve Barebow Flights and Crossbow Unlimited, will follow NFAA Shooting Styles and Equipment Rules. 

 

  1. Championship Compound Open, Female, Senior, Senior Female, Young Adult; Compound Flights; Compound Junior divisions: NFAA Freestyle: [Article II, Section C, para 1-3] 

  2. Compound Barebow Flights: NFAA Barebow [Article II, Section B, para 1-11]

  3. Bowhunter Flights: NFAA Freestyle Bowhunter [Article II, Section E, para 1-9]

    1. For Bowhunter Flights, a round or oval housing around the points of reference is not considered a scope as long as NO LENS is used. A lens with zero magnification is NOT allowed.​

  4. Championship Recurve Male, Female, Young Adult; Recurve Flights; Recurve Junior divisions: NFAA Freestyle Limited Recurve [Article II, Section G, para 1-3]

  5. Crossbow Flights: NFAA Crossbow [Article II, Section H, para 1-32]

Championship Recurve Barebow and Recurve Barebow Flights: [Chapter 23, Section 3, para 1-10] Will follow World Archery Barebow equipment and division rules.

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Crossbow Unlimited Flights: Maximum speed of 330 FPS. Crossbows must be in sound working condition with a functioning safety and maintained in compliance with the manufacturer’s specifications. No replacement or alteration of manufacturers Trigger Assembly or Safety Mechanism shall be allowed. Scopes up to 6x power may be used and may be equipped with lines or mill dots, but no light or image may be projected and there may be no range finding capability.

 

Except as may be required due to an approved medical exemption, crossbows may only be shot in a standing position and the use of any device or outside agency (including wrapping the sling around the arm, hooked butt-plates, palm rests, stabilizer bars, added weights/bars/rails/supports, prop stick or any device that allows the mass weight of the bow to be relieved from either arm or to steady the bow is prohibited.  Use of the forward elbow against the ribcage or side is permitted. Bolts must be identical in size and weight with a minimum of three (3) vanes. Crossbows may only be cocked and loaded while the shooter is on the line, and while loaded it must remain pointed down range at all times. The safety must remain on until the time the whistle is blown to signal shooting. Use of The Crossbow’s Manufactured Cocking/Cranking Device, (1) Level and Stirrups shall be permitted. 

Anti-Doping Rules

The National Field Archery Association Foundation (NFAAF), host of The Vegas Shoot, has implemented a doping policy for 2017 and beyond. All Championship Compound Open, Championship Compound Female, Championship Recurve Male & Championship Recurve Female participants may be subject to testing in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Archery Anti-Doping Rules. Failure to comply with the Anti-Doping rules shall result in disqualification and forfeiture of any cash prizes.

 

All archers that place in the top 3 of their Championship divisions will be subject to testing in accordance with WADA’s World Anti-Doping Code and the World Archery Anti-Doping Rules. All other participants may be chosen at random. Senior, Young Adult and Barebow divisions are exempt. For details, visit worldarchery.org/Clean-Sport.

 

The International Testing Agency (ITA) will handle the doping administration for The Vegas Shoot, including Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) and Testing. For the sake of clarity, the Sample Collection will in fact be handled by the International Doping Tests & Management (“IDTM”) on behalf of the ITA.

Please see the important links below for more information.

 

Links to: 

Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)

TUE FAQ

Global DRO

World Archery Clean Sport

ITA

 

For questions regarding the anti-doping process at The Vegas Shoot, please contact ITA by phone at +41 21 612 12 12 or by email at testing@ita.sport

 

Round Rules
Shooting Rules
Scoring Rules
Equipment Rules
Anti-Doping Rules
Collegiate Scholarships
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