Ive been asked to pass this along from Tanya Putreney of Seminole Canyon State Park. This looks like a fun event, im going to try to make this for sure, if you have never seen Kinley make arrow heads your in for a treat.



Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site
HWY 90 Park Road 67
GPS coordinates: Lat: 29.7001 and Long: -101.313058
Comstock, TX 78837
432-292-4464
6th ANNUAL ARCHEOLYMPICS
Date: February 09, 2013 from 10:00 am-4:45 pm

The Archeolympics, a primitive skills competition, is open to all visitors and is focused on having fun and learning about ancient lifeways. This event is currently the only primitive skills triathlon in Texas.

Individual atlatl competitors (amateur and skilled categories) will throw darts for accuracy using the primitive atlatl dart thrower. Atlatls and darts will be provided for public use for those who do not bring their own equipment.

Team atlatl (minimum of 2 persons/maximum of 5 persons per team) can compete for accuracy. Atlatl and darts will be provided for public use for those who do not bring their own equipment.

Individual rabbit sticks competitors (youth and adults categories) will attempt to hit targets representing small animals in the rabbit stick competition. Rabbit sticks will be provided for public use for those who do not bring their own equipment.

In the most challenging event, the friction-fire starting race, individuals of all ages are welcome to compete to see who will be first to get an ember and produce a flame. Friction-fire kits will not be provided by Park; competitors must bring their own kit (including a spindle, hearth board and kindling).

Please read the Rules and Regulations Section for acceptable equipment and scoring system.

First place winners will receive a replica Montell projectile point crafted by local flintknapper Kinley Coyan of Sanderson, as well as a certificate. Second and third place winners will receive certificates.

Visitors who do not wish to compete are invited to enjoy educational programs with hands-on demonstrations. Learn about and use the atlatl spear thrower and boomerang-like rabbit stick on a practice range. See how fire was made the old fashioned way using friction techniques. Consider whether your family can rely on you to bring home dinner and produce a fire to keep them warm (without a stop at the grocery store and no matches). Learn the secrets of the desert plant and their many uses. An archeologist will be available to answer your question about the ancient people and their artifacts in this area. View ancient paintings in the rock shelters with the regularly scheduled tours to the Fate Bell Shelter at 10am and 3pm. If you do change your mind about wanting to compete, listen for the announcement 5 minutes before the competition start time to get signed up. Once the completion has started no late sign ups.

The park welcomes participation by Las Moras Frontier Living History; they will set up their historic canvas tent to interpret the men and women of the frontier, the Texas Rangers, and to discuss the Indian War Period in Texas.
The Park’s “Friends of Seminole Canyon”, the Rock Art Foundation based in San Antonio will have a booth to promote the conservation and study of the Native American rock art in the Lower Pecos region of South West Texas.

REGISTRATION AND FEES
All park visitors (including Archeolympics competitors) must pay the park entry fee of $3.00 per person or show/purchase a Texas State Park Pass at the park office upon arrival. Competitors must show their entrance fee receipt/permit at the competition registration table, start of registration is 8:30am-10:45am. Competitors must sign an Event Registration and Liability Release Form before participating in competitions. Youth Group and Club sponsors: please have all information on children under the age of 18 ready when registering for competitions. Registration information needs to be competitor’s names, address, contact phone number along with their in case of emergency name and contact number.
For groups over five people, it is recommended but not necessary to contact Tanya Petruney to get pre-registered a few days in advance, as large groups take several minutes to get registered.

RULES AND REGULATIONS SECTION

INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
**A tie for first place in any individual event will be resolved by a tie breaker round (or rounds).**

Individual Atlatl Accuracy (All Ages)
2 CATEGORIES: Skilled and Amateur
(PARTICIPANTS MAY SIGN UP FOR ONLY ONE ABOVE CATEGORY)
Amateur: A life size, 3-D foam antlered deer will be used for accuracy. Each contestant will throw three darts at a distance of 30 feet. Scoring will be as follows:
Sticks or bounces off in outer area of target = 1point
Sticks or bounces off in middle area = 2points
Sticks or bounces off in bull’s-eye=3points
Maximum of 9 points
Darts that hit on the line between target areas are scored for the higher point value.
Park supplied darts will be tip-wrapped in cotton; before throwing they need to be dipped in colored powder. They will bounce off the target.


Skilled: A life size, 3-D foam antlered deer will be used for accuracy. Each contestant will throw three darts at a distance of 40 feet. Scoring will be as follows:
Sticks or bounces off outer area of target = 1 point
Sticks or bounces off in head and throat area = 2points
Sticks or bounces off in kill zone (heart) = 3points
Maximum of 9 points
Darts that hit on the line between target areas are scored for the higher point value.
Park supplied darts will be tip-wrapped in cotton; before throwing they need to be dipped in colored powder. They will bounce off the target.
.

Individual Rabbit Stick (By Age Group)
2 CATEGORIES: Adult and Youth
Adult: ages 13 and up
Youth: ages 12 and under
Participants may use their own rabbit sticks or one that is provided by the park. Each participant will throw three times at stationary targets from a distance of 25 feet; each valid hit is 1 point for a maximum score of 3 points. The targets will be standard size volleyballs set just above ground level on a cone. To be scored, a frontal hit must knock the target off the cone, “back hits” are void.

Friction Fire-starting Race using Simple Hand Drill (All Ages Compete)
Competitors must create their tinder bundles and ready all gear prior to the event start time. At the command “READY” competitors must have their hearth-boards, spindles, and tinder-bundles sitting on the ground in front of them and place both hands on the ground. When the judges see that all competitors are ready, the command “START” will be given and timing begins. The first competitor to achieve a viable flame wins.

TEAM EVENTS
A tie for first place in any team event will be resolved by a tie-breaker round (or rounds).

Team Atlatl (All Ages)
Teams (2 to 5 people, any combination of ages/skill level) will throw a total of 5 darts from a distance of 40 feet at a life size, 3-D foam antlered deer Groups such as scout groups, universities, families, or businesses may wish to compete as teams. Throws will be scored the same as in the Individual Atlatl category above. The number of darts thrown per person varies with team size, per the rules below; 2-4 person teams decide amongst themselves who will throw more or fewer darts at each position.

2 person team: one person throws 3 darts, the other throws 2darts
3 person team: two people throw 2 darts each, one throws 1dart
4 people team: three people throw 1dart, one throws 2 darts
5 person team: each person throws 1 dart


EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS
Atlatls
Atlatls may be made of natural materials such as wood or modern materials such as fiberglass and aluminum.
Park will supply wooden atlatls for public use.

Darts
Darts may be made of natural or modern materials.
May not be tipped with flaked stone, razor, or other hunting points (for safety). Round metal target points are acceptable. Points do not need to be sharp.
The darts provided for public use will be made of 48’ long unfletched wooden dowels with a bolt set into the nose for balance and durability or other suitable material.
Park supplied darts will be tip-wrapped in cotton; before throwing they need to be dipped in supplied powder. They will bounce off the target.

Rabbit sticks
Must be made of natural wood or plywood. Other materials may be used to reinforce the weapon (e.g, twine, sinew, glue, fiberglass tape). Rabbit sticks may be made of plastic.
Metal will not be allowed.
Park will supply wooden rabbit sticks for public use.

Friction Fire Simple Hand Drills
PARTICIPANTS MUST SUPPLY THEIR OWN SPINDLE, HEARTH AND KINDLING
All friction fire (simple or loop assisted) hand drill sets must be supplied by contestants. All materials must be natural that would have been available to ancient people, but are not limited to resources that are Native to Texas or the Americas. No dryer-lint tinder! Wooden dowel spindles and board hearth are accepted; finger loops will be allowed. Other methods such as complex hand drill and bow drill are not allowed.
Several instructional videos on how to start fire with a simple hand drill is on websites like Youtube. Past contestants have had good results from using yucca and sotol bloomstalks for the spindle and hearth, dried grass as tinder, but other materials will work as well, such as cedar bark rubbed between the hands into fine pieces, and cattail fluff mixed with dry grass (experiment with ratios). Materials cannot be collected from the park.

EVENT SCHEDULE
Begin registration at 8:30am practice range opens for public use
Competition range for practice 9am-11:00am
Public demonstrations 10:00-3:00 (throughout day)
Atlatl and rabbit stick
Flint-knapping
Friction Fire-starting
Cordage Making from Native Plants
Replica Artifacts and
Ask an Archeologist
Introductory remarks & orientation 10:45
Begin Competitions 11:00
Rabbit Stick 11:00-11:45
Youth (ages 12 and under) then adult (ages 13 and up)
Friction Fire 11:50-12:30 (all ages compete together)
12:30-12:45 Break
Atlatl Amateur 12:45-1:30
Skilled 1:35-2:30
Team 2:35-3:15
Competition Score sheets double checked and tallied 3:15-4:00
Awards Presented and Concluding Remarks 4:00-4:45
*Competition times are estimated, due to number of participants.
**Events will be announced 5 minutes before start of competitions.
***Competitions scheduled start times are subject to change.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Seminole Canyon State Park (432) 292-4464 or tanya.petruney@tpwd.state.tx.us Event organized and hosted by Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site. Event staffed by Seminole Canyon State Park and Historic Site (Texas Park and Wildlife Department) staff and volunteers, Amistad National Recreation Area (National Park Service)and volunteers, Shumla School and volunteers, and The Friends Group Rock Art Foundation. 11/09/2012tep
Seminole Canyon

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