March 2016 Best of the West Taxidermy Championship

The International Sportman's Expo and the Utah Taxidermists Association hosted the Best of the West Taxidermy Championship, March 17-20, 2016, at South Towne Expo Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.


View the 2016 Championship Gallery

The 2016 Best of the West Taxidermy Championship Judges  (pdf)

2016 Best of the West Taxidermy Championship Info


2016 Best of the West Championship Awards

Youth Division	No Youth Entries
Best of Youth  ($100 Research Manikins gift card)
Novice Division
Best of Novice  ($100 Research Manikins gift card)	Ryan Richard - Velvet Mule Deer
Professional Division
Best Bird	Mike Kenner - California Quail
Best Bird Group	Riley Dabling - Flying Pheasants
Best Waterfowl	Braxton Shawn - Snow Goose
Best Waterfowl Group	Riley Dabling - Goldeneyes
Best Fish Skin	John Rougeaux - Largemouth Bass
Best Fish Reproduction	Chuck Boehm - Rainbow Trout
Best Small Mammal	Derek Harryman - Porcupine
Best Large Mammal	Jeremy Judkins - Mule Deer
Best Mammal Group	Dan Meier - Mule Deer / Moose
Best Mixed Group	Shawn Shaw - Antelope
Best Small Game Head	Cole Revoir - Red Fox
Best Large Game Head	Landon Jacobsen - Aoudad
Best Mule Deer Head Pedestal	Ross Richard - Mule Deer
Best Mule Deer Head Wall Mount	Eric Neilsen - Mule Deer
Best Whitetail Deer Head	Logan Christensen - Whitetail Deer
Best Antelope Head    (Mike Eastman's Award)	Ross Richard - Antelope
Masters Division
Best Bird	Darin Gardner - Chukar
Best Waterfowl	Darin Gardner - Wood Duck
Best Waterfowl Group	Shane Shaw - Flying Snow Geese
Best Fish Skin	Dan Johnson - Walleye
Best Fish Reproduction	Scott Humble - Giant Trevally
Best Small Mammal	Chad Draper - Desert Sheep
Best Large Mammal	Ryan Cook - Mule Deer
Best Mammal Group	Jeremy Judkins - Kudu / Gemsbok
Best Mixed Group	Derek Harryman - Rainbow Trout
Best Large Game Head	Jeremy Judkins - Gemsbok
Best Mule Deer Head Pedestal	David Ferguson - Mule Deer eating corn
Best Mule Deer Head Wall Mount	Paul Pennie - Mule Deer
Best Whitetail Deer	Shane Whiting - Whitetail Deer
Best Antelope Head     (Mike Eastman's Award)	Stephen Schulte - Antelope
Competitor's Award	Jeremy Judkins
Best All Around  (Montana Silversmith Buckle)	Derek Harryman
Best Team Entry  (Sponsored by Ryan Richard)
1st Place - $100	Ross Richard, Ryan Richard and Curtis Wilson
2nd Place - $75	Jarime Nance and Jeremy Judkins
3rd Place - $50	Derek Harryman and Shawn Shaw
Best Original Art	Scott Humble - Golden Trout
Best Base Award	Ryan Cook - Mule Deer on Water Scene
Highest Scoring Mule Deer  (Montana Silversmith Buckle)	Dave Ferguson
Van Dykes Most Creative Award	Dave Ferguson - Whitetail Deer eating corn
Polytranspar Award	Dan Johnson - Walleye
WASCO Award	Kip Love - Warthog
Research Manikins - Highest scoring mammal on Research Form  ($200)
McKenzie Distinguished Service Award	Ryan Richard
Peoples Choice Best of Show  ($200 Trufitt Forms gift certificate)	Ryan Cook - Wolf, Bobcat, Deer and Salmon
Judges Choice Best of Show/Breakthrough Award  (Montana Silversmith Buckle)	Ryan Cook - Mule Deer on Water Scene
Taxidermists Choice Best of Show	Curtis Wilson - Bison
Taxidermist Choice (McKenzie):
Best Bird	Darin Gardner - Wood Duck
Best Life-size Mammal	Kip Love - Grizzly Bear
Best Whitetail	Jeremy Judkins - Whitetail Deer
Best Fish	Derek Harryman - Rainbow Trout
United Taxidermists Association's Artisan Award (Artistic Entry)	Chad Draper - Lamb
Wilde Arrow Archery Shop/Hoyt Archery for best Velvet Mule Deer (Hoyt Defiant Bow)	Stephan Woolstehulme - Velvet Mule Deer
The Avian Challenge - Wood Duck	Darin Gardner
Three Hour Bird Challenge - Any Bird  - 1st ($250 from H&E Equipment)	Darin Gardner - Pheasant
Three Hour Bird Challenge - Any Bird - 2nd ($150 from H&E Equipment)	Derek Harryman - Canvas Back
Three Hour Bird Challenge - Any Bird - 3rd  ($100 from H&E Equipment)	Ryan Henriod - Teal
Three Hour Mule Deer Challenge	Jeremy Judkins
Three Hour Pronghorn Challenge
Ducks Unlimited (A Decoy)	Darin Gardner - Wood Duck
Delta Waterfowl Best Youth
Delta Waterfowl Best Novice
Delta Waterfowl Best Professional
Delta Waterfowl Best Masters
Delta Waterfowl Habitat Award	Ryan Henriod - Wood Duck
Utah Chuckar and Wildlife's Best Upland Habitat  ($150 cash)	Darin Gardner - Chukar
Safari Club International's Best African/Exotic	Kip Love - Warthog
Professional Judges Choice - Sponsored by Judkins Taxidermy and Monarch Mountain Taxidermy  (Rifle)	Ross Richard - Mule Deer shedding antler
NTA Taxidermist of the Year Masters	Shawn Shaw
Skull Max Highest Scoring European (deer & elk Skull Max system)	Dan Meier - Cow Skull
Dave Ferguson - Mount on a Dave Ferguson Form ($100 cash)	Jeremy Judkins - Kudu
Norcal Waterfowl Best Diver Award	Pete Curilo - Blue Bill
Starfish Award	Scott Humble - Giant Trevally
Pro 1 Hide Past (Highest scoring mount using Pro 1 Hide past)	Ryan Cook - Mule Deer on Water Scene
Best Masters Reptile	Shawn Shaw - Broad Head Skink

Commercial Division

Shawn Shaw	Wood Duck	90
Shawn Shaw	Wallaby Pedestal	90
Stephen Schulte	Racoon Pedestal Life Size	90
JD Sorensen	Mule Deer Shoulder Wall Mount	90
Travis Nielson	Mule Deer Head Wall Mount	90
Travis Nielson	Mule Deer Wall Mount	90
Shawn Shaw	Red Stag	90
Mike Kenner	Mearns Quail Group, Table Mount	90
Shawn Shaw	Pheasant Pedestal	90
Shawn Shaw	Antelope (with Sharp-tailed Grouse)	90
Shawn Shaw	Sharp-tailed Grouse	90
Ryan Cook	Wolf, Bobcat, Mule Deer, 2 Salmon	80
Jarime Nance	Mule Deer on a Pedestal	80

Youth Division

			Best of Youth

Novice Division

Ryan Richard	Velvet Mule Deer Wall	89	Best of Novice
Mijke Butts	Mink Life Size	85
Kyle Sessions	Mule Deer Group, Semi-Sneak	85
Kyle Sessions	Mule Deer Pedestal Group, Left Turns	84
Kyle Sessions	Bull Elk Shoulder Mount	84
Jorie Allen	Mule Deer Head Wall	82
Scott Kunz	Flying Snow Goose	77
Scott Kunz	Standing Scaup	75
Bryan Payne	Mule Deer Shoulder Mount with Habitat	74

Professional Division

Bird
Mike Kenner	California Quail	83	Best of Category Award
Bridger Peck	Pheasant Eating/Standing	82
Bird Group
Riley Dabling	Flying Pheasant Pair	74	Best of Category Award
Waterfowl
Braxton Shaw	Snow Goose Flying	90	Best of Category Award
Braxton Shaw	Common Goldeneye	80
Riley Dabling	Drake Redhead Flying	78
Mike Kenner	Wood Duck Table Mount	70
John Rougeaux	Pintail Drake Table Mount	70
Waterfowl Group
Riley Dabling	Goldeneye Group	75	Best of Category Award
Fish Skin
John Rougeaux	Largemouth Bass Skin Table Mount	70	Best of Category Award
Fish Reproduction
Chuck Boehm	Rainbow Trout Wall Mount Reproduction	90	Best of Category Award
Chuck Boehm	Steelhead Reproduction	88
John Rougeaux	Tiger Trout Original Reproduction	70
Reptile
Shawn Shaw	Lizard	80
European Skull Mount
Dan Meier	Euro Mount (with Moose & Mule Deer) Pro 1 Form	90
Small Mammal
Derek Harryman	Porcupine Table Mount	83	Best of Category Award
Ross Richard	Albino Mink	82
John Rougeaux	Racoon Table Mount	78
Large Mammal
Jeremy Judkins	Mule Deer Lifesize	93	Best of Category Award
Troy Hawkins	Black Hawaiian Sheep Floor	91
JD Anderson	Life Size Bushbuck	88
Travis Nielson	Tahr Lifesize Wall Mount	86
Nathan Allred	Mountain Goat Life Size	85
Cory McCubbin	Mountain Lion open mouth pedestal	82
Travis Nielsen	Mountain Goat Lifesize Wall Mount	82
Mammal Group
Dan Meier	Mule Deer, Euro Mount and Moose Pedestal - Pro Form	88	Best of Category Award
Jarime Nance	Fighting Mule Deer	87
Jarime Nance	Mule Deer Pedestal Group	82
JD Anderson	Mule Deer Double Pedestal Mount	82
JD Anderson	Whitetail Double Pedestal	80
Game Head Large
Landon Jacobsen	Aoudad Wall Pedestal	91	Best of Category Award
Troy Hawkins	Kudue Wall Mount	90
Cole Revoir	Elk Pedstal	90
Derek Harryman	Arapwa Ram	85
Ross Richard	Fallow Deer	84
Dan Meier	Moose (One the Mule Deer & Euro Mount) Pro 1 Form	84
Wes Pearce	Black Bear Shoulder Pedestal	84
Ross Richard	Elk	83
Troy Hawkins	Elk Floor Pedestal	83
Troy Hawkins	Impala Wall Mount	83
Troy Hawkins	Sitka Blacktail Wall Mount	83
Kasey Poulsen	Corsican Sheep Wall Mount	83
Brent Wilson	Caribou Shoulder Wall Mount	83
Logan Christensen	Elk Wall Pedestal on Pro Form	83
Shawn Shaw	Bison Pedestal	79
Shawn Shaw	Fallow Deer	79
Derek Harryman	Ram	78
JD Anderson	Gemsbok Hard Turn Shoulder Mount	74
Game Head Small
Cole Revoir	Red Fox Shoulder	78	Best of Category Award
Mule Deer Head Pedestal
Ross Richard	Mule Deer Pedestal	91	Best of Category Award
Cory McCubbin	Mule Deer Head Shoulder Mount	90
Wes Pearce	Mule Deer Pedestal	90
Shane Whiting	Mule Deer Pedestal on barn wood	87
Jarime Nance	Mule Deer on Pedestal	87
Troy Hawkins	Mule Deer Pedestal	85
JD Anderson	Mule Deer #2 on Double Pedestal	83
Jarime Nance	Mule Deer Pedestal	82
Landon Jacobsen	Mule Deer Pedestal	81
Cole Revoir	Mule Deer Pedestal	81
JD Anderson	Mule Deer #1 on Double Pedestal	80
Dan Meier	Mule Deer (with the Euro Mount and Moose ) Pro Form	78
Jarime Nance	Mule Deer Pedestal	77
John Rougeaux	Mule Deer Head	72
Mule Deer Head Wall Mount
Eric Neilson	Mule Deer Head Wall Mount	90	Best of Category Award
JD Sorensen	Mule Deer Wall Mount	86
Logan Christensen	Mule Deer Head Wall Mount	85
Ross Richard	Mule (Stag Deer) Wall Mount	83
Logan Christensen	Mule Deer Wall	80
Troy Hawkins	Mule Deer Wall Pedestal	80
Kasey Poulsen	Mule Deer Semi Sneak	78
Darin Peck	Mule Deer Wall Mount	78
Dan Meier	Mule Deer Wall Mount	78
Derek Harryman	Mule Deer	77
JD Anderson	Velvet Mule Deer Shoulder Mount	77
Nicholas Cole	Mule Deer Wall Pedestal	76
Bob Harris	Mule Deer Wall	70
Caleb Hahn	Mule Deer Wall Mount	70
Whitetail Deer Head
Logan Christensen	Whitetail on McKenzie Form	86	Best of Category Award
Wes Pearce	Whitetail Deer Head	85
Landon Jacobsen	Whitetail Deer Wall Mount	82
JD Anderson	Whitetail #2 on Double Pedestal	80
JD Anderson	Whitetail #1 on Double Pedestal	80
Troy Hawkins	Whitetail Wall Mount	80
Bob Harris	Whitetail Deer Head	80
Bridger Peck	Whitetail Pedestal with another whitetail	78
Bridger Peck	Whitetail Wall Pedestal with 2nd whitetail	70
Brent Wilson	Whitetail Doe on pedestal with buck	70
Brent Wilson	Whitetail Buck on pedestal with doe	70
Antelope Game Head
Ross Richard	Antelope Game Head	87
Wes Pearce	Antelope Game Head	84
Troy Hawkins	Antelope Game Head Wall Mount	84
Bridger Peck	Antelope Pedestal	76
John Rougeaux	Antelope Game Head	76

Masters Division

Bird
Darin Gardner	Chukar	96	Best of Category Award
Pete Ciraulo	Pheasant	82
Shawn Shaw	Pheasant	82
Waterfowl
Darin Gardner	Wood Duck Wall Mount	91	Best of Category Award
Darin Gardner	White Front Goose	90
Shane Shaw	Common Goldeney Drake Wall Mount	87
Shane Shaw	Snow Goose Pedestal	87
Derek Harryman	Ruddy Duck	87
Pete Ciraulo	Pintail	85
Pete Ciraulo	Blue Bill	85
Pete Ciraulo	Drake Blue Bill	82
Pete Ciraulo	Mallard	80
Shawn Shaw	Coot	78
Scott Humble	Wood Duck	78
Ryan Henriod	Wood Duck on Nesting Box	70
Shawn Shaw	Mallard Duck	70
Waterfowl Group
Shane Shaw	Snow Geese Group (2) on Wall	82	Best of Category Award
Fish Skin
Dan Johnson	Walleye Table Mount	92	Best of Category Award
Derek Harryman	Rainbow Trout Skin Mount	78
Fish Reproduction
Scott Humble	Gian Trevally (Ulua)	91	Best of Category Award
Derek Harryman	Rainbow Trout Reproduction	88
Small Mammal
Chad Draper	Life Size Dessert Sheep	97	Best of Category Award
Stephen Schulte	Bobcat on Pedestal	86
Stephen Schulte	Pine Martin on Pedestal	85
Large Mammal
Ryan Cook	Lifesize Mule Deer	97	Best of Category Award
Stephan Woolstenhulme	Stone Sheep	95
Kip Love	Warthog	95
Kip Love	Grizzly Bear Interior w/ Mt. Goat	94
Rusty Farnsworth	Goat	91
Kip Love	Mountain Goat w/ Grizzly Bear	86
Mammal Group
Jeremy Judkins	Kudu / Gemsbok Pedestal	93	Best of Category Award
Shane Whiting	Whitetail #1 and #2	88
Ben Nielsen	Mule Deer Pedestal	85
Dustin Beratto	Mule Deer, Two Heads	80
Mixed Group
Derek Harryman	Fish Skin & Reproduction Rainbow Trout	83	Best of Category Award
Scott Humble	Bobcat with Blue Grouse	80
Game Head Large
Jeremy Judkins	Gemsbok Pedestal	94	Best of Category Award
Jeremy Judkins	Kudu Pedestal	92
Alan Cox	Floor Pedestal Elk	88
Kip Love	Giraffe	86
Jeremy Judkins	Elk Pedestal	85
Ben Nielsen	Kudu Pedestal	83
Curtis Wilson	Bison Eating Grass Pedestal	78
Mule Deer Head Pedestal
David Ferguson	Mule Deer Pedestal Eating Corn	93	Best of Category Award
Ben Nielsen	Mule Deer Pedestal	90
Ben Nielsen	Mule Deer Pedestal	88
Stephan Woolstenhulme	Mule Deer Pedestal	88
Jeremy Judkins	Mule Deer- Fighting Bucks	87
Curtis Wilson	Mule Deer Pedestal barnwood with antler	86
Dustin Beratto	Mule Deer Pedestal #1 (two deer on one pedestal)	83
Curtis Wilson	Mule Deer rubbing grey cedar tree table	80
Dustin Beratto	Mule Deer Pedestal #2	78
Willie Ungerman	Mule Deer Pedestal	77
Willie Ungerman	Mule Deer Pedestal	77
Mule Deer Head Wall Mount
Paul Pennie	Mule Deer Head - Wall Mount	90	Best of Category Award
Willie Ungerman	Mule Deer Head Wall Mount	88
Rusty Farnsworth	Mule Deer Wall Mount	86
Whitetail Deer Head
Shane Whiting	Whitetail #1 on a double mount	90	Best of Category Award
Shane Whiting	Whitetail Pedestal #2 on double mount	87
Jeremy Judkins	Whitetail Head Wall Mount	87
Shane Whiting	Whitetail Wall Pedestal	87
Ross Richard	Whitetail Pedestal	85
Bill Fox	Whitetail Deer Head	77
Antelope Game Head
Stephen Schulte	Antelope Head on Pedestal	92	Best of Category Award
Dustin Beratto	Antelope Game Head	86
Willie Ungerman	Antelope Game Head	83
Kevan Williams	Antelope Head Wall Mount	78
Kevan Williams	Antelope Wall Mount	78

  Original Art

Scott Humble	Golden Trout Wood Carving	96	Best Original Art
Paul Gery	Mollusk-Abalone	85

Team Entry

Team 3 - Ross Richard, Ryan Richard and Curtis Wilson	African Lions and Zebra	90	Best Team Entry
Team 2 - Jarime Nance and Jeremy Judkins	Fighting Mule Deer Pedestal	87
Team 1 - Derek Harryman and Shawn Shaw	Fallow Deer and Sheep	82