2020 WAA Annual Meeting – Valley of Fire, NV CANCELLED

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED

For years now, the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, located about forty minutes East of Las Vegas, has hosted the WAA in what is one of the premier atlatl events of the West.

This years event has been set as March 18th through the 23rd. (Note change in end date!) We are scheduled to have our group use sites for the 18th checking in at 3:00 pm through the 23rd checking out at 2:00 pm.

The Valley of Fire is a destination location (even without our event), located at 29450 Valley of Fire Hwy, Overton, Nevada, 89040.  To reach it, head North from Las Vegas on the I-15 freeway about 35 miles and take exit 75 at the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza (please do not set off fireworks purchased there in the Park) and head Southeast on Valley of Fire Highway about 14 miles.  Be aware of posted speed limits.  Normal fee for park entrance is $10, but the park usually waives that for people specifically attending the event (just tell them you are with the World Atlatl Association).  We have two of the three private group use campgrounds reserved, which are down past the entrance on the right at “The Beehives”, before you get to the turn off to Atlatl Rock (where many of the events are scheduled).  The entrance to the campgrounds is gated, but will be unlocked.  Please close gate.

A more detailed event schedule is forthcoming, but in general, there will be official ISAC set ups and you can throw an ISAC every day that we have targets up, which should be every day we are there.  The first day you may have to wait for a target to be set up, and the last day you may have to hurry to get one in before it is torn down.

The 3D competition is set for Saturday for the general public, and usually consists of eight to ten targets in a small loop course.  Two stakes are set at each target, and competitors may go around once, throwing from both stakes, or go around twice, throwing from the near stakes on one round and the far stakes on the other.  Score sheets will be available at the Atlatl Rock covered table area, and I believe equipment will be available to borrow for those without.  To make it easier for WAA members to both compete and put on the event, we generally try to get the course set up on Friday, so those helping with the event can throw part or all of their official round on Friday if they wish

There will be general public demos, where anyone can throw.  We should have our fun Mammoth target up for that (large painted canvas target), next to the ISAC target (ISACS will be suspended during public demo, usually an hour or so in the afternoon).  Park supplies equipment for the demo, WAA supplies volunteers to teach people to throw, usually two throwers at a time.

We will be doing an aerial target demo (the “Moche Toss”) on Saturday and Sunday.  The Park has provided a pop up shade we can use to gather at, site visible from Atlatl Rock.  How fast and fun the action goes depends greatly on the number of targets, launch darts, and especially capture darts.  Last year we had plenty of launch darts and Moche targets, and should still be fine with that; but competitors are encouraged to bring their own capture pegs to attach to their darts to make capture darts (google Moche Toss to find out how to make them).

This year the yearly WAA meeting will be held at the event.  A group meal will occur during the special speaker’s presentation, and the meeting will proceed after.

This year the park is allowing vendors to display at Atlatl Rock again.  Villars Custom Bows may have atlatls and darts for sale, but it is still up in the air, as he has been recovering from hand surgery.  In previous years there have been multiple atlatl tackle vendors, as well as various primitive items (fire starters, fish traps, gourd canteens, etc.), and knapped tools and points.

Contact Ken Villars at toxophileken@yahoo.com for more information. Valley of Fire State Park telephone number is 702-397-2088.