Qualifier Scores: And the Magic Number Is…

May 10, 2011

Qualifier Scores: And the Magic Number Is…

Big congrats if you scored 92 or better in the Qualifier stage. You’ll be getting an invitation to Regionals. Very shortly an e-mail will be sent to the address that we have from the personal-information sheet you filled out at Bass Pro Shops. It will give you all the ins and outs of getting registered for the Regional stage.

Three time finalist Brian Cramer led Qualifier scoring with a 142, so looks like old age and treachery is back in style. Alabama and Missouri combined for nine of the top 20 scores nationwide, so the states hosting Regionals did themselves proud.

The four Regional sites are: Grapevine, TX; Nashville, TN; Independence, MO; and Leeds, AL. Three of them will be held at Bass Pro Shops, which is always sportsman’s heaven, but the "Nash Vegas" stop is smack dab in the middle of the Country Music Association’s Music Festival. Concerts, celeb events, pearl snaps…this is the one that you can turn into a four-day vacation.

It is first-come-first-serve, so if one of the four Regional sites suits your needs much more than the other, better get in there early.

And to answer the question that I get more than any other: I really can’t tell you which Regional to go to, but I can tell you there is no easy road to Dogwood Canyon. They’re all tough, just in different ways.

Grapevine will have a cold-hearted witch of a casting course, because the store has a great pond and the Texans can pitch a jig. If it’s not tough, they all smack it and there will be no scoring separation.

Nashville is for those who don’t mind people watching ‘em. The archery course is literally 300 yards from the center of the daytime concert stage. And it’s held in a little ol’ city park, so the competition courses are shorter. Shorter courses generally mean higher scores for everyone and little slips here get punished.

Independence always fills first and a ton of former finalists always head there. The crew has all the room it needs to make everything challenging. And the wind acts like it can’t wait to get out of Kansas because it tears through the course every year.

Leeds was just brutal in archery last year. Tons of competitors who could shoot and half the field was eliminated after their first discipline and a half decent score. The course will have to be a little meatier this year.

Now that all the “how tough it is” puffing up is all done, all four sites are great. Bass Pro Shops and the CMA will treat ya like family and are glad you’re there. And all the competitors are outdoorsman/women, so it’s pretty easy to make new buddies and maybe even trade a trip or two.

To see how you placed in the Qualifiers, go here.

May 10, 2011 in | Permalink

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from verycarefull wrote 1 year 11 hours ago

Well, I see the issue. Thanks for posting the scores. At the San Antonio BP we were told we could re-enter once a day. I knew my score from the first day was not going to make the cut so I returned on Sunday and scored a 120. I see only my first days score listed on the sheet. Is that correct? I read the rules and all I see is that the first 100 people a day would be allowed to compeat. On Sunday I met one of your 2009 finalist who had posted a score in the Katy BP that he didn't think was very good, so he was in San Antonio on Sunday to try again. He stated that you could re-enter once a day also.
The other question I have is about the size of the archery target. At SA BP we shot a 6" bullseye not a 8" as stated in the prep sheet, an 8" target is 44% larger than a 6". Did everyone shoot the same size targets? Also there was no raised platform at the casting pond. Maybe I read the instructions incorrectly. I had been practicing off the tailgate of my truck and pitch casting from the bank threw me and I had to regroup. Just wondering.

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from iowaoutdoorsman wrote 1 year 9 hours ago

I cannot comment on your first question. That's a question for the bosses. I shot a 6" target in archery, it wasn't easy but it's my opinion you need to be prepared to shoot whatever they hang up down range whether it be an apple or a hoolahoop. As for the casting I had the same issue at a BP at last years qualifier. As a matter of fact they had the casting targets elevated from my position which made it nearly impossible.

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from verycarefull wrote 1 year 1 hour ago

I agree about having to hit what ever they hang. I just want to make sure we all shot the same size. When I re-entered I shot a 42 on the 6" target. I traded for the bow, a week before the qualifyer and I'm still geting used to it. Mainly I was transitioning from an 82 vintage PSE round wheeler with fingers to a Z-Max with release. I should be a lot better by next year. Casting to an elevated target would be a problem. Thanks for the input.