Taxidermists Find Intense Competition at North American Championship

Graham, NC — Big Rock Sports, LLC held its 2017 North American Taxidermy Championship in Raleigh, NC from January 5–8 and the competition was intense, with a widely diverse and national audience of taxidermists in attendance. The number of competition entries was strong, considering a dangerous winter storm swept through the Raleigh area and forced some to cancel.

The fifth annual NATC offered four days of competition and seminars for taxidermists. Highly regarded names in the taxidermy industry traveled from all over the country to attend and participate in the event.

Those who made the journey recognized Big Rock Sports and its hard work behind the scenes. "The NATC represents and shows Big Rock's commitment to the fishing and hunting industries, and I think that taxidermists will begin to see that in the coming years," said Aaron Connelly, award-winning taxidermist and Head Quarters sculptor who presented the two-part seminar, "Becoming an Accomplished Taxidermist," at the competition.

"This event caters to all levels of taxidermists who are looking to compete, improve and socialize with like-minded people who share the same interests. This year also offered an 'Open Competition' area that people could see judges doing their work. The judges were also available most of the day Saturday to give critiques to competitors so they could have more one-on-one time with these industry experts to hone their skillset," said Brad Patterson, Manager of Head Quarters Taxidermy Supply.

Over $25,000 in cash, prizes and awards were up for grabs, second only to The World Taxidermy & Fish Carving Championships. Legendary taxidermists, including Brenda Duvall, Jeff Kimball, Vic Heincker and Page Nethercutt, led instructional seminars, and artwork was judged by a lineup of world-renowned artists. Dawayne Dewey, Kent Reedy, Jeff Mourning and Tommy Hall examined 94 mounts, including whitetails, hogs, turkeys and snakes, among other wildlife.

More than 15 taxidermists took home awards, with Jason Krause of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, and Matt Zimmerman of Denver, Pennsylvania, each scoring five to lead all winners. For Krause's impressive porcupine, wolf, fisher and bear mounts, the veteran artist won multiple awards. Zimmerman's alligator mount claimed a huge prize ($1,000) while his viper mount was honored with two of the competition's top accolades―National Taxidermist Association Taxidermist of the Year and Big Rock Sports Best of Show.

All entries were organized in five divisions: Youth, Amateur, Professional, Masters and Triple Threat.

Sponsors

The North American Taxidermy Championship was sponsored by Head Quarters Taxidermy Supply, D&L Custom House Broker, LLC, Barnett Crossbows, Accusharp, Savage, Badlands, Sig Sauer and Hornady.

Competition Results:

Youth Division

Winner: Macy Tugwell

Amateur Division

Winner: Lacey Tugwell

Professional Division

Best Waterfowl: Cameron Ream

Best Closed Mouth Whitetail: Keith Knight

Best Replica Fish: Ryan Garrison

Best Large Gamehead: Kendall Wilson

Best Open-Mouth Whitetail: Taylor Harrison

Best Reptile: Jessica Meeks

Best Skin Mount Fish: Paul Miller

Best Small/Medium Gamehead: Ryan Garrison

Best of Show: Ryan Garrison

United Taxidermist Association Artisan Award

Winner: Paul Miller

National Taxidermy Association Old Man of Mikeno Death Mask

Winner: Matt Zimmerman

Masters Division

Best Open-Mouth Whitetail: Dean Matthews

Best Waterfowl: Eric Perry

Best Large Gamehead: Jason Krause

Best Large Life-size: Jason Krause

Best Reptile: Matt Zimmerman

Best Small/Medium Gamehead: Jason Krause

Best Small/Medium Life-size: Jason Krause

Reproduction/Recreation Champion: Rodney Schreurs

Mixed Group Champion: Rodney Schreurs

Best of Show: Matt Zimmerman

Triple Threat Challenge

Professional

1st Place Professional: Ryan Garrison

2nd Place Professional: Jessica Meeks

3rd Place Professional: Jake Rouse

Masters

1st Place Masters: Rodney Schreurs

2nd Place Masters: Matt Zimmerman

3rd Place Masters: Jason Krause

Collective Artists

1st Place: Matt Zimmerman & Shane Zimmerman

2nd Place: Steve Tugwell & Kendall Wilson

3rd Place: Taylor Harrison & Dean Matthews

About Head Quarters Taxidermy Supply

Head Quarters Taxidermy Supply is the fastest growing taxidermy supplier in North America. In addition to the highest quality and most modern manikins in the industry, Head Quarters Taxidermy Supply offers accessories, including hide-tanning chemicals, modeling tools and glues, that are the preferred choice of thousands of taxidermists across the US and Canada. HQTaxidermy.com

About Big Rock Sports

The premier outdoor sporting goods distributor in North America, Big Rock Sports, LLC, is focused on supplying more than 15,000 retailers with the best products from over 1,200 manufacturers as well as the tools needed to navigate the complexity of today's marketplace. The company is strongly committed to protecting the rights of hunters, anglers and all outdoor enthusiasts. Big Rock Sports is a privately held company with a home office in Graham, NC. BigRockSports.com