2007 EASTERN SEABOARD ATLATL CHAMPIONSHIPS AT LETCHWORTH STATE PARK
19th Annual Eastern Seaboard Atlatl Competition
by Douglas Bassett
This event was again held at the Letchworth State Park Stone Tool Show and was expanded to four days of throwing August 23-26, 2007. Next year will be August 21-24. There were nine shooting ranges (the Demo range; an ISAC range; an ISAC and IASAC warm-up range; an IASAC range, the State Round range, the Closest-to-Pin range; the Handicapped Mammoth Hunt range; the Distance range; and the wooded Animal Round range). These ranges were shut down for the opening ceremony of the Hoop Toss each day and culminated with the closing ceremony of the Atlatl Battle. Scores were also tallied in East vs. West. Saturday also included the Discovery Channel filming of Spanish armor deflecting stone-tipped darts which attracted more than 100 spectators.
More than two hundred spectators and three hundred atlatlists that included 54 competitors from 11 states were attracted to the South Field in the various following ways:
Opening Ceremony – The Hoop Toss with Tiggy Winkle
A large, medium and small hoop were placed at 20+ meters, 30+ meters and 40+ meters respectively to open the competition each day. All throwers lined up and shot their single dart simultaneously to the hoop of their chosen ability. This was repeated for a total of five attempts. Once a hoop was entered by a dart, that hoop was closed for the day and throwers could only try for the remaining hoop(s). A stuffed toy hedgehog “Tiggy Winkle” was placed next to the small hoop with the understanding of the throwers would pay a $5 penalty if their dart accidentally pierced the toy to add a sense of tension and desire for accuracy. No penalty was paid but the toy was bumped over once. Winners got to pick out Letchworth memento prizes at the awards ceremony that were donated by the park’s concessionaire, John Marino of J-Con Parks.
Day Large Hoop Medium Hoop Small Hoop
Thurs Lori Majorski Melissa Dildine none
Fri JoAnne Fogelman Ron Mertz Ray Madden
Sat none none Douglas Bassett
Sun none none none
Demonstration Range
This range had three stations from 10 meters at three separate targets and was entered by more than 250 people. Each target consisted of a single hay bale with a balloon tacked to a 12 x 15” cardboard. Many balloons were popped to the squeals of success and 187 holes were recorded in the cardboards. Many thanks to all that helped our first time throwers, especially Jack Rowe who was range master for a Lion’s share of time.
ISAC
Fifty people made 79 entries in thirty flights (5 flights – Thur; 8 flights – Fri; Sat was windy, with 3 flights getting off in the relatively calmer early morning, one was attempted in the windy twilight and four were completed in the breeze of the night under car lights; 9 flights – Sun). Ranking, Division (F- female, Y- youth noted by number = age), State (ranking by top scorer), Highest Score and Significance are recorded as follows:
1 PA (1) Gary Fogelman 94-X Season High
2 NY
(2) Douglas Bassett 91-4X
3
NY Mike Waters 89-X
4
NY Scott VanArsdale 88
5 NC
(3) Doug Leeth 87
6
PA Andy Majorsky 86-3X
7tie F PA Melissa Dildine 86-X Season High
7tie NJ (4) Bob Bronish 86-X Season High
9
PA Dennis Lantz 85
10tie 15 PA Devin Johns 84-X Season High
10tie CT (5) Gary Nolf 84-X Personal Best
10tie VT (6) Greg Maurer 84-X Personal Best
13 MD
(7) Ryan Grohsmeyer 83-3X 1st ISAC
14 PA Jack Rowe 83
15 NJ Erich Zeh 81 Personal Best
(under lights)
16 F PA Lori Majorsky 80 Season High
17 NY Wayne Wells 79-X Personal Best
18 PA Mark Bracken 79
19
IN (8) Richard Lyons 78-2X
20 F PA JoAnne Fogelman 78
21 NY Greg Bessette 77-X
22 NY Jim Fisher 74
23 NY Bill Brundage 72-X
24tie
VT John Morris 72
24tie PA Dave Santos 72
26
KY (9)
Sean Telfer 71 Personal Best
27 MO
(10) Ray Madden 70-X
28 MO Ron Mertz 70
29 NY Mike Blakeman 68
30 F NY Linda Brundage 64-X
31 NY Ben Brauchler 61
32 NY
Bob Chaffee 58-X
33 NY Bob Berg 57
34 F PA Shannon Santos 50
35 CT Matt Olson 44X Personal Best
36 NY Mike Chaffee 39
37tie 10 NY Austin Fisher 37 Personal Best
37tie PA Pat Norton 37
39 NY Sue Mercer 34
Opposite hand due to
injury
40 10 NY Dakota Chaffee 31
41 8 NY Anthony Gonzalez 30 1st ISAC
42 F NY Colleen Fisher 28 Personal Best
43 F NY Mindy Trumbul 25
44 F CT Linda Nolf 23 Personal Best
45 15 NY Danny Brophy 19 1st ISAC
46 7 NY Jacob Jensen 16 Personal Best
47 9 NY Aidan MacKenzie 12 1st ISAC
48 8 NY Mikala Chaffee
9
1st ISAC
49 9 NY
Sam Ritchie
6
1st ISAC
50 9 NY xxx xx last place
protection plan
IASAC
Twenty people made 29 entries. Ranking, Division (F – female, c – cub age 11 and under), State (ranking by top scorer) and Highest Score are recorded as follows:
1 NY
(1) Douglas
Bassett 99-X
2 NC
(2) Doug Leeth
94
3 PA
(3) Gary Fogelman 89-X
4
NY Scott VanArsdale 82-X
5
PA Andy Majorsky 82
6
PA Jack Rowe 78
7
PA Mark Bracken 73
8 MO
(4) Ray
Madden 58-X
9 F
PA Lori Majorsky 55
10tie NY Jim Fisher 54
10tie NY Wayne Wells 54
12 c NY Anthony Gonzalez 48
13 VT
(5) Greg
Maurer 47
14 c NY Austin Fisher 42
15 OH
(6) Tom
Cameron 38
16 MO Ron Mertz 35
17 NY Ben Brauchler 30
18 OH Pat Cameron 23
19 F NY Sue Mercer 14
20 F OH
xxx xx last place
protection plan
The Eastern Seaboard Atlatl Competition as originally constructed is composed of three parts: Accuracy, Closest-to-Pin and Distance. For the event this year six divisions were created based on each competitors best ISAC score thrown this year or last. Colors for each division were chosen from the concentric bands of color on the standard archery target. White = ISAC < 20; Black = ISAC 20-39; Blue = ISAC 40-59; Red = ISAC 60-79; Yellow = ISAC 80-87; X-tra Yellow (no youth) = ISAC 88+. Yellow and X-tra Yellow threw from the same distances but did not compete against each other. This handicapping was also applied to the Animal Round and Mammoth Hunt. Award certificates were given to the top three finishers in each event and for each division Saturday night as well as top ten for the Mammoth Hunt and the Grand Champion Trophy and throw-off certificates.
The State Round
This accuracy contest consisted of three shots from each of five distances with each succeeding distance being three meters farther from the ISAC target. The starting distances were White- 5m, Black- 8m, Blue- 11m, Red- 14m, and Yellow- 17m. Three entries per day were allowed. Fifteen people made 32 entries with their ranks noted per division:
rank person score XY Y R Bl Bk W
1 Douglas
Bassett 120-X 1
2 Andy Majorsky
101 2
3 Ray
Madden 100 1
4 Gary Fogelman 97-2X 3
5
Greg Maurer 97 2
6 Mike
Waters 91-X 4
7 Ron
Mertz 91 3
8 Ben Brauchler
87-2X
4
9 Lori Majorsky
72
1
10 Marlin
Bassett 71
1
11 Melissa Dildine
69-X 2
12 Devin
Johns 64 3
13 JoAnne
Fogelman 43 4
14 Sue
Mercer
38 1
15 Mindy Trumbul
37 1
Closest-to-Pin
Three darts thrown just once a day were thrown from the following distances: White- 17m, Black- 23m, Blue- 29m, Red- 35m, and Yellow- 41m. Thirteen people turned in scores.
rank person distance XY Y R Bl Bk W
1 Gary Fogelman
hit! 1
2 Ray
Madden 0.2m 1
3 Mellissa Dildine
0.3m 1
4 Mike
Waters 0.5m 2
5 Douglas
Bassett 0.9m 3
6 Mindy Trumbul
1.0m 1
7tie Andy Majorsky
1.1m 4
7tie Sue
Mercer
1.1m 1
9 JoAnne
Fogelman 1.6m 2
10 Ron
Mertz 2.0m 2
11 Greg Bessette
2.2m 5
12 Marlin
Bassett
2.4m
1
13 Lori Majorsky
2.5m 3
Distance
Each contestant was allowed five darts daily with any combination of atlatl and dart they pleased, but to count had to land in the designated throwing lane which was about 15 degrees of arc. The longest shot was measured perpendicular to the center of the lane. Only nine scores were turned in and therefore limited the number of people vying for division winners.
rank person distance XY Y R Bl Bk W
1 Douglas
Bassett 135m 1
2 Ray
Madden 106m 1
3 Gary Fogelman 87m 2
4 Andy Majorsky
66m 3
5 Mike
Waters 63m 4
6 Mindy Trumbul
53m 1
7 Melissa Dildine
48m 1
8 Sue
Mercer 29m 1
9 Marlin
Bassett
17m
1
Grand Champion Throw-off
Each Division Champion was determined by adding their ranking for each of the three parts of the contest which only had one close contest in the X-tra Yellow division. The six winners were positioned at six different distances and shot five flights of one dart alternating who shot first. Under windy conditions, the Black Division was in the lead after four throws and the contest was amongst the three throwers with darts that had not been blown off course of the ISAC target.
Rank Division Distance Name Score
1
White 5m Marlin
Bassett 39
2 X-tra Yellow
20m Douglas Bassett 35
3
Black 8m Sue
Mercer 34
4
Red 14m Ray
Madden 26
5 Yellow
17m Melissa Dildine 14
6
Blue 11m Mindy Trumbul 13
Animal Round
Ten life-sized black animal silhouettes were created with realistically sized colored killing zones [heart (yellow) – 12 points, lung/liver/spleen (orange) – 8 points, brain/spinal cord (red) – 5 points] Body hits scored 1 point, while outside the marked body line such as hair/feathers, ears, tail/beard scored 0 points. Negative scores were also accessed such as -1 for lower legs, -2 for nose/jaw/beak, and -3 for entrails. Hunters were allowed to go around the course twice with one shot at each animal and only one entry per day. The maximum score of twenty heart shots would be 240 points. Each of the ten animals were shot in realistic settings at realistic distances with animals with larger killing zones being shot at from farther distances (grouse- 7m (27%), squirrel- 8m (41%), rabbit- 9m (55%), opossum- 10m (23%), woodchuck-11m (64%), fox- 12 m (9%), turkey- 13m (18%), raccoon- 14m (41%), bobcat-15m (23%), coyote- 16m (18%) – See % note below). Red division shot at 2-4 meters closer, Blue from 3-7 meters closer, Black from 4-8.5 meters closer and White from 5-9.5 meters closer (each larger animal was shot from 0.5 meters farther in the White Division, i.e. the ten animals ranged from 2 to 6.5 meters from the White Thrower). Twenty-one people made 30 entries so each target was shot at 60 times. Only 15 people made their entries by the cut-off time on Saturday.
rank person score XY Y R Bl Bk W
1 Douglas
Bassett 63 1
2 Gary Fogelman 60 2
3 Andy Majorsky
53 3
4 Ron
Mertz 50 1
5 Gary Nolf
46 2
6 Ray
Madden 45 3
7tie Marlin
Bassett
32
1
7tie Devin
Johns 32 1
9 John
Morris 28
4
Greg
Maurer 26 (Sunday)
10 Lori Majorsky
25 2
Pat
Cameron 22 (Sunday)
11 Austin
Fisher 21 (42 on Sunday)
1
12 Linda Nolf
17 2
13 JoAnne
Fogelman 16 3
Tom
Cameron 8 (Sunday)
14 Sue
Mercer
7 3
Wayne
Wells 7 (Sunday)
Tracy
Higgins 4 (Sunday)
15 Jim
Fisher 2 (28 on Sunday)
4
protection plan -3 (Sunday)
Examining the holes in all the targets the collective efforts hit the animals 42% of the time, about one third of the throws could have resulted in the retrieval of the animal and 25% would have resulted in a rather quick and humane death. This is the results of all throwers and if the top six more skilled hunters were itemized then the numbers increase to 52% hits, 47% retrieved, and 32% quick kill – Note % kill after each animal listed above is from the top six throwers.
East vs. West
The overall rankings in the State Round, Closest-to-Pin, and Animal Round were added together to give a raw score for the top two throwers in each state, lowest combined score wins. Only three states had at least two entries, with Pennsylvania winning for the East and Missouri taking second for the West. East and West winners got to pick out Letchworth memento hat and cup prizes that were donated by the park’s concessionaire, John Marino of J-Con Parks.
PA Gary & Andy 19
MO Ray & Ron 32
NY Douglas & Marlin 36
Handicapped Mammoth Hunt
Following the Grand Champion throw-off, the handicapped Mammoth Hunt was conducted in a stiff head wind. The five color divisions started their throws from the following distances White- 11m, Black- 14m, Blue- 17m, Red- 20m, and Yellow- 23m. Each thrower had three attempts to hit a circular cardboard representing the kill zone on a life-sized Woolly Mammoth constructed of plywood-backed foam covered in burlap fur. (This creature was created by Rodger Klindt in 1996 and was kindly donated to me for use at the Letchworth event after a decade of use up on the Tug Hill Plateau.) If the hunter hit the red center of the cardboard representing the heart, an extra throw was awarded when needed in the future. Those successful hunters continued to the next round and retreated another 3 meters. All registered atlatlists were automatically entered in this event and their starting positions were based on their highest ISAC score within each division. The order of dropping out determined your rank. Twenty-five throwers and an equal number of spectators showed up at hunt time and 18 were left standing after the first round, 9 after the 2nd, 4 after the 3rd, 1 after the 4th, who was unable to complete the 5th round from 35m. The number under each round column is the rank due to an unsuccessful round, + moved on, 1 – extra throw awarded:
Start Name 1 2 3 4 5
23m Mike
Waters 25
Douglas
Bassett + + + + 1st
Gary Fogelman +
18
Devin
Johns 1 + 9th
Andy Majorski
+ + 8th
Melissa Dildine
+ 17
Joanne
Fogelman + 1 + 4th
Lori Majorsky
24
Jim
Fisher 23
20m
Greg Maurer
+ 16
Ron
Mertz + 15
John
Morris 1 + 7th
Gary Nolf
+ 14
Ben Brauchler
+ 13
Ray
Madden + + 1 3rd
Wayne
Wells
22
17m Mindy Trumbul
+ 1 6th
14m Austin
Fisher + 12
Tom
Cameron + 1 5th
Linda Nolf
25
Sue
Mercer + 11
Matt
Olson + + 1 2nd
11m Jacob
Jensen 20
Anthony Gongalez
+ 10th
Marlin
Bassett 19
Closing Ceremony - Atlatl Battle
This was a modified version of the ancient battle between Smoke Monkey and his rebellious son, Macaw as devised for many years by Bob Berg. Twenty Warriors and twice the number of spectators assembled on the “killing fields” on Sunday afternoon. Two women selected their chief and the chief selected his shaman and the rest were divided between the two sides. Each Warrior was represented by a bale of hay placed on its side at one of three distances, near, medium and farther. The four bales representing the chiefs and shamans were placed in a row behind the front three lines. The bales in each row were separated by a bale width and alternated with each warring faction. Hung on the top string of each bale was a colored 81/2 x 14” folded paper representing the kill zone. Sticking up from each bale was one of the warrior’s darts identifying his bale. Each warrior had three remaining darts, but had to surrender to the bale one dart for each time his bale was struck by a dart, regardless of friend or foe...yes even one of the chiefs shot himself. All warriors shot in synchrony from the same line for up to three times in each round. A shot to the paper or the loss of three darts resulted in the bale being turned down and the darts being removed from the field. Warriors could only shoot at bales in their row until only one bale was left standing and then the surviving warrior of that row was free to throw at any remaining enemy. The war is ended if both the chief and shaman are killed as no motive would be left for the “headless” remains. In the first battle, as in ancient history, Macaw led a successful rebellion. By an outcry of desire a second battle ensued and was ended when Smoke Monkey pierced the heart of his son.
The Atlatl portion of the Annual Stone Tool Show at Letchworth State Park continues to grow. I look forward to seeing even a larger proportion of the throwers participating in the Eastern Seaboard and local contests and games. See you next year, and bring a friend...Nayweh