Ryan, I think if you have the bending area a bit further out from where the reverse riser feathers out and leave the tips stiff that will help with any chance of separation on the higher back portions. Elm can be pretty tangled in grain anyway so those parts aren't likely to try to pop off. You could always put a layer of sinew on the back and wrap the tips and fades for insurance. Tim actually mentioned this idea for a board bow if a good ring was well down in a board.
I have a piece of Ipe roughed out with the riser left high on the back to duplicate the Turkish look. It will definitely get sinewed though,with spliced in recurves.
Pat