Sergio Pagni named champion of the 53rd Vegas Shoot

Sergio Pagni beat-out 23 other archers in the largest shootdown ever to take the compound open championship at the 53rd Vegas Shoot and win a first-prize cheque for USD 53,000.

“I feel great. At the beginning of the week, I said I was confident in my shot and I was sure to make 900. When I look back and see how many 900s were in the final with me, it was a very long, long journey,” said Sergio.

It is the second time the Italian archer has won the event in four years, having taken his first title at the 50th edition in 2016 from the lucky dog spot.

“Winning as the lucky dog was a surprise, also because I won after the first end,” he added. “Here it was impossible to win on the first end so I took my time and was sure not to miss. I didn’t force the shot and I was confident with the 10.”

The 2019 lucky dog wasn’t so… lucky. Pierre-Julien Deloche was the first to fall out of contention, missing a big 10 on the first pass of the shootdown, before 10-point scoring moved to the small X-ring.

Mike Schloesser, Levi Morgan, Jesse Broadwater, Paul Tedford, Sebastien Peineau, Roberto Hernandez, Matt Sullivan, Donnie Thacker, Tate Morgan, Anthony Ferraro, Jesse Starks, Jesse Clayton and Nicolas Girard missed the middle in the second pass.

The third saw Stephan Hansen, Sebastian Arenas, Peter Elzinga, Rich Jackson and Steve Anderson fall out of the competition.

Richard Bowen and Mikko Juutilainen both shot nines in the fourth, leaving Sergio Pagni, three-time winner Chance Beaubouef and shootdown debutant Riku van Tonder in contention.

Both Riku and Chance had dropped points in their first two arrows of the fifth end; Sergio shot two 10s.

The left-handed compound archer stood on the line needing a 10 to secure the biggest prize cheque of his career – and drilled it.

It took five ends and 15 arrows to whittle the record 23 perfect 900-point shooters and the lucky dog down to the compound open championship victor, Italy’s Sergio Pagni. Chance finished second, Riku third.

Sara Lopez won the compound women’s event, beating out fellow 900-point scorer So Chaewon, 29 to 28, in the first end of the first perfect shoot-off in the category. 

“So I’m really and proud. I only shot for one week before I came here. I came just to have fun, to train, to work on my technique and I’m just so happy,” said Sara.

“I always dreamed about this moment. I always dreamed about shooting a 900, about winning Vegas so I think this year will be awesome because it started the best way.”

Chaewon actually had the upper hand, Lopez dropping first, but the four-time Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion from Colombia emerged the winner.

Trevor Silverson won the compound young adult championship and Min Byeongyeon the recurve men’s main event, both in shootdowns in the arena.

Keith Trail took the senior compound champion title outright with his 900-point round, Sim Yeji was the winner of the recurve women’s event with 890.

Dallas Jones was top of the recurve young adult championship and Kristopher McCubbins was champion in the barebow open competition.

A total of 3767 archers registered for the 53rd Vegas Shoot, making 2019 the largest edition of this popular annual tournament in history.

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