congrats Arvin!
As far as the sinew backed vs selfbows...we decided at our local shoot to allow the backed bows in our selfbow class as long as the backing is 1/4 or less of the total limb thickness. I have made and shot both and don't see the sinew as a big advantage, but more as protection. My pre-profiled and thinned bamboo backing on an osage belly might be a different story, or at least it seems that way to me.