Forty years ago, on January 27, 1985, Terry Ragsdale shot what is considered the first 900 score in the history of The Vegas Shoot, inaugurating the prestigious 900 Club.
“I was fortunate to be able to compete in Vegas for many years and enjoyed some good (and not-so-good) results at what I considered to be the indoor venue,” said Terry Ragsdale.
In 1985, a significant change was introduced to the long-standing tournament. The competition was shortened to 90 arrows, laying the foundation for the format The Vegas Shoot is recognized for today. But not many people realize that 1985 wasn’t the first time Terry had shot a perfect score at this legendary event.
“Not sure why everyone talks about ‘the 900’ in 1985,” said Terry’s brother, Toby Ragsdale. “The much, much bigger deal was the 1200 he shot in ’78.”
The 1200 Round of 1978
The Vegas Shoot has seen various formats throughout its history, and in 1978, the standard was to shoot 120 arrows over three competition days.
On the first two days, archers shot 45 arrows, compared to today’s 30-arrow rounds.
At the 1978 tournament, Terry Ragsdale delivered a flawless performance, shooting arrow after arrow into the 10-ring on the first day.
“He didn’t talk much about how he was shooting, but after his first round (450 points), it was obvious to me and everyone who saw his target that something special was happening,” Toby recalled.
By the end of the second day, Terry had accumulated 900 points, marking the first perfect score for two days of competition.
On the final day, he continued his incredible streak, finishing with a perfect score of 1200 to claim the championship title.
“His last arrow was almost spooky to watch,” said Toby. “Everyone stopped to watch that final arrow; dead absolute silence.”
Terry drew his bow, aimed at the target, and came back down for the first time in the tournament.
“I noticed it got real quiet when I drew, and I thought, ‘What would it sound like if I let down?’ Then I thought, ‘You better let down, or you’re gonna miss this,’” Terry shared.
After taking a deep breath, he drew again and drilled his final shot.
“The place went nuts,” Toby remembered. “Mom and Dad were the first to get to him with hugs and high fives, then lots of others. Pretty cool moment.”
Shooting a clean 300 back then was extremely rare. While it had been done before, it wasn’t common, and Terry’s achievement of four consecutive 300s earned him nicknames like Mr. Accurate and Mr. Machine.
“For someone to come in and shoot four [300s] back-to-back on the largest stage in archery was incredible,” said Toby.
Pioneering Precision
In the late 1970s, compound bow technology was still in its infancy, and the knowledge of how to optimize performance was limited. Terry’s historic 1200 score in 1978 was shot with a four-wheel compound bow—equipment that would be considered outdated today. Just a few weeks later, Terry achieved another 1200 score at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan, this time using a two-wheel compound bow.
“I think the biggest and most lasting reaction to shooting 1200 in two consecutive majors would be a lot like the reaction to the first ‘four-minute mile,’” Toby explained. “Before someone does it, no one thinks it can be done. Once someone actually does it, now it’s possible.”
Reflecting on a Legacy
Terry Ragsdale is widely regarded as one of the most dominant compound archers of his era.
“I was fortunate to win The Vegas Shoot on three occasions—1978 with a score of 1200, 1979 with a score of 1198, and the last time in 1985 with a 900,” Terry said. “I had a lot of fun competing and made so many great friends.”
From Terry’s last Vegas win until 2002, only a handful of archers managed to overcome the immense pressure required to shoot 90 perfect arrows over three days of cutthroat competition. However, the numbers began to rise in 2003, when more than 10 archers achieved a perfect 900 score for the first time.
Another milestone came in 2019, with 28 archers accomplishing the feat, and in 2024, a record-breaking 31 archers joined the prestigious 900 Club.
Terry’s achievements in both 1978 and 1985 remain legendary, inspiring generations of archers to chase perfection on the world’s biggest stage.