# Is k45 the toughest am class in asa??



## jtelarkin08 (Nov 24, 2009)

Ok so I have been shooting K45 mostly the last few years, and have been competitive at the state level.. I dont shoot many pro ams but hope to shoot more. I started off shooting K45 again this year but after some thinking about it I feel its almost silly. Hear me out.. 

So to win K45 you pretty much need to shoot 50-60%.. or in other words in a 20 target course you pretty much need to shoot 20-24+ up each day.. At state level you pretty much need to shoot around the same 50% up. 

If you look at K50 scores they are actually less than K45 scores most of the time. Ya they shoot 5 more yards.. But I would bet at most Pro ams the avg shot distance between the two classes isnt more than 2 yards apart.. And at state level its even closer. I would say 25 of 30 shots are from the 45 stake. 


Then you have Open B..The contingency at the pro ams in alot of cases is the same as K45 but the competition isnt nearly as rough.. I love half and half classes.. The absolute only reason I havent just started the last two years shooting B is that I like the competition at the state Level in K45.. Its more fun to shoot against 15-20 people than 6-10. I loath having to judge half of the targets and I feel half and half is a true test of 3D archery.. 


I miss the days of just having Pro, Open, and Unlimited.


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## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

I don't really understand what you are getting at...... The simple answer to the original question is "no" or "maybe" depending on your personal views. Open A is arguably the hardest amateur class because you have to judge and shoot well. A lot of _new_ top gun Known distance shooters are drawn to K45 for the money and the money is there because there are so many folks shooting that class. Every year there is a new group of hot shots going into K45 as the current ones win out. Because of this it makes the class "hard" for just good archers to win a lot. Eventually folks win out if they are good. I have a buddy that is going to shoot some tournaments in K45 this year and he shoots good enough to win Open Pro spot shoots.

In a nut shell, every class has many archers that find it difficult if not impossible finsih near the top. If you are "good" you eventually will get moved up to a class, if there is a higher class, where you either have to get better, enjoy finishing out of the top places mostly or quit traveling to ASA shoots. It is how the ASA set up. Of course you can age into a class rather than win out of a class. T

I expect to see the Senior Known class, over the next few years, become top heavy with a handful of very good archers winning most of the time. Currently there are guys in Senior Known that know the only way they'll make the top 5 is by pure luck. There isn't a Senior Known Pro class so you are never forced out. There will be a Senior Known Pro class as soon as a few old timers lose their influence with the biggest ASA sponsors like Mathews, Hoyt, PSE and within the ASA itself. But it looks like until the big fish in the tiny pond go belly up it won't happen.


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## Kstigall (Feb 24, 2004)

I happen to know K50 courses are generally much tougher than K45 courses.


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## ewsIII (Nov 3, 2004)

I wouldn't sell the boys in Open B short...fair share of really good shooters

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## Bowhunter_25 (Oct 18, 2013)

ewsIII said:


> I wouldn't sell the boys in Open B short...fair share of really good shooters
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Totally agree with this comment lol... every class all the way to bow novice nationally is stiff competition.. I’d say the easiest class to win would be unlimited just because it has less shooters in it haha.. Open A, B and even C is tough. K45 and K50 are tough. You have such a high level of talent nationally that you simply don’t see at the state level. You may be a stud at state but when you go to a pro/am you instantly become average with the other guys. 


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## Davik (Apr 16, 2003)

JT...shoot K45 at the state level and OB at the pro ams...lots of people shoot 2 different classes since national and state don't affect each other.


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## vito9999 (Jun 30, 2009)

Here in Florida I shoot against some of the top Senior Known ASA shooters as we don't have Super Senior class normally it has no effect on my class at the Pro Am. By the way last Sundays winner was 30 up in our 45yd class of old guys, he will be at Foley.


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## jtelarkin08 (Nov 24, 2009)

Davik said:


> JT...shoot K45 at the state level and OB at the pro ams...lots of people shoot 2 different classes since national and state don't affect each other.


In Texas they won’t let us do that. We had that discussion last year. That is exactly what I would do if they would let us. 


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## jtelarkin08 (Nov 24, 2009)

Kstigall said:


> I don't really understand what you are getting at...... The simple answer to the original question is "no" or "maybe" depending on your personal views. Open A is arguably the hardest amateur class because you have to judge and shoot well. A lot of _new_ top gun Known distance shooters are drawn to K45 for the money and the money is there because there are so many folks shooting that class. Every year there is a new group of hot shots going into K45 as the current ones win out. Because of this it makes the class "hard" for just good archers to win a lot. Eventually folks win out if they are good. I have a buddy that is going to shoot some tournaments in K45 this year and he shoots good enough to win Open Pro spot shoots.
> 
> In a nut shell, every class has many archers that find it difficult if not impossible finsih near the top. If you are "good" you eventually will get moved up to a class, if there is a higher class, where you either have to get better, enjoy finishing out of the top places mostly or quit traveling to ASA shoots. It is how the ASA set up. Of course you can age into a class rather than win out of a class. T
> 
> I expect to see the Senior Known class, over the next few years, become top heavy with a handful of very good archers winning most of the time. Currently there are guys in Senior Known that know the only way they'll make the top 5 is by pure luck. There isn't a Senior Known Pro class so you are never forced out. There will be a Senior Known Pro class as soon as a few old timers lose their influence with the biggest ASA sponsors like Mathews, Hoyt, PSE and within the ASA itself. But it looks like until the big fish in the tiny pond go belly up it won't happen.


What I am getting at is if your shooting good enough to win k45 then your probably shooting good enough to win k50. K45 is so streaky that someone can go off and shoot crazy numbers for two days. I like the competition at state level. Which Texas has a huge state turnout. But i just almost think your better off shooting B or 50 at Ntl level 



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## BowHuntnKY (Dec 10, 2008)

jtelarkin08 said:


> In Texas they won’t let us do that. We had that discussion last year. That is exactly what I would do if they would let us.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I was told that was not just a state thing but an actual ASA rule..(shoot same class at stare l3vel and pro/am level) .but now that i think of it i dont remember reading it anywhere...im gonn habe to go bqck amd read thru the ASA rules.


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## CamoQuest (Mar 3, 2012)

This was from last year, from Dee Faulks (National Director)

Due to many recent questions about shooting in different classes in the Texas ASA Federation vs. Pro/Am level, it is necessary to clarify the expectations for shooters participating in both levels of competition. Clarification of the Federation move up rules is also included.

Per a directive issued by National Federation Director Dee Falks:

“On a case-by-case basis we have allowed competitors to shoot in different classes at Federation and Pro/Am events. There are a number of reasons for this and all of these situations are handled on a case-by-case basis and are approved by the State Director, Federation Director and the ASA office.”

“When a shooter is moved up by the State Director based on performance in his or her normal competition class then ethically he or she should move up at the Pro/Am level too. From now on this will be the case. Move ups at the Federation level will be immediately reported to the Federation Director and the ASA office. If someone wins his or her way out of a class at the State level he or she will be automatically moved up at the Pro/Am level unless he or she can successfully present a case to the Competition Committee that he or she should be able to compete in the lower level class at Pro/Am events.”

The following directive has been issued by the Texas ASA Federation:

In Texas, from this point forward if a shooter is found to be shooting a different class at the Pro/Am level than at the Federation level, (without the prior approval referenced above) that shooter will immediately forfeit all SOY points at the federation level and be required to stay in the higher class for the remainder of the season. 

Please be aware of the following ASA rule:

ASA reserves the right at any time to assign a registered shooter to a higher competition class based on knowledge of the competitor’s prior archery experience, performance in other archery competitions, or the individual’s established competition level in another organization.


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## CamoQuest (Mar 3, 2012)

I would think, in whatever state you live in, that by making contact with your state directors you could open up a discussion as to what class, and where, you want to shoot.


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## jtelarkin08 (Nov 24, 2009)

CamoQuest said:


> I would think, in whatever state you live in, that by making contact with your state directors you could open up a discussion as to what class, and where, you want to shoot.


I am one of the reasons that this was addressed in Texas. They will not let me shoot OB at the pro am and K45 at state..


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## ttimmerman (Feb 5, 2014)

JT - if memory serves you wanted to do something very similar last year due to a hunting trip you had planned. You have every right to present your case to the competition committee if you feel that your case warrants an exception to the rule.


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