ORIG 02/18/2014 Ryan Brennecke / The BulletinA group of archers take aim from their shooting positions during league night at Top Pin Archery in Redmond on Tuesday. Some participants in the league will be competing at the Oregon State Indoor meet this weekend in Bend.

More than 400 bow-and-arrow enthusiasts are expected in Central Oregon this weekend for the 2014 Oregon State Indoor Archery Championships. The three-day event will take place at The Riverhouse Hotel & Convention Center in Bend.

The state tournament opens with a competition for kids on Friday and continues through Sunday with a five-spot (five targets and 60 arrows) tournament.

“This is a big archery family that shows up to this state meet,” says Wayne Endicott, a Springfield resident and vice president of bowhunting for Oregon Bow Hunters. “We’re a tightknit group. There will be over 400 people and we’ll all know each other or get to know the new competitors.”

The championship tournament, open to men and women, begins on Saturday with competition in eight divisions: pro, pro 55 and over, 70 and over, 60 and over, 50 and over, 18 and over, 15-17, 12-14, and 11 and under.

According to Justin Reader, store manager for Top Pin Archery in Redmond, Top Pin uses the five-spot target in its winter league rather than the three-spot (three smaller targets and 30 arrows) target used in The Vegas Shoot — billed as the world’s largest annual indoor archery competition — to prepare for the Oregon State Indoor Championships.

“We start our leagues in the fall and we use a variety of targets during that (league),” Reader says. “Then it runs through the winter. The (league) in the winter ended Tuesday (Feb. 18), so it runs into the state meet. We do the five-spot because a lot of people want to do that (state) meet.”

The Riverhouse is hosting the state indoor championships for the second year in a row. And the event’s governing body, Oregon Bow Hunters, plans to stage the meet in Bend for several more years, according to Endicott.

“We had a fantastic tournament last year,” Endicott says. “We try to move the meet around the state because not everyone can travel. We want to stay in Bend, though. We just voted to sign a five-year contract. The Riverhouse is a great facility.”

Endicott expects nearly 200 young archers for Friday’s kids competition that kicks off at 6 p.m.

“Youth is a huge part of the tournament,” Endicott says. “The Oregon Bow Hunters auction off a statewide mule deer hunting tag to raise money. The funds will go to the Friday night kids night.”

The Oregon Bow Hunters will also hold its 2014 annual convention during this weekend’s competition in Bend. The convention, which is open to the public, includes seminars and exhibits, a bugle contest, a game committee meeting, a field governors meeting and an auction and raffle.

According to Reader, nearly 20 archers from Top Pins league are expected to compete at the state meet.

“There are a couple of different groups at our indoor league,” Reader says. “Some do it for target shooting and some do it to stay in shape for hunting. The state meet is the end of league play. And it is a big tournament in Bend that is local, so a lot of people want to do it.”

Registration for the championships remains open until Friday, and qualifying is not required. Registration and a printable schedule for the weekend are available online at oregonbowhunters.com. Spectators are welcome free of charge. The convention will take place in the Cascade Convention Center; the competition will be staged in the Cascade Convention Center Exhibit Hall.

— Reporter: 541-383-0375,
eoller@bendbulletin.com

“Some do it for target shooting and some do it to stay in shape for hunting. The state meet is the end of league play. And it is a big tournament in Bend that is local, so a lot of people want to do it.” — Justin Reader, Top Pin Archery store manager

If you go

What: 2014 Oregon State Indoor Archery Championships

Where: The Riverhouse Hotel & Convention Center, Bend

When: Friday through Sunday

Who: Open to men, women and children in eight divisions: pro, pro 55 and over, 70 and over, 60 and over, 50 and over, 18 and over, 15-17, 12-14, and 11 and under

Registration, more information: www.oregonbowhunters.com

See a video of people practicing for the competition at bendbulletin.com/archery