NTA Convention Judges
The Nation’s Best Judges Share Their Knowledge

There are many taxidermy and sculpting competitions across the country available for individuals to enter. However, over the years the NTA has deservedly earned the reputation of having the highest caliber of consistently fair and honest competitions of any being offered. One of the reasons is that volunteer NTA members to benefit the NTA membership as a whole operate the NTA competition. This allows all of our time and energy to be focused on giving the competitor the greatest opportunity of earning their place in the all-time records of taxidermy history. This is why the NTA has drawn almost 1500 participants and has had over 540 competition entries. No other nonprofit competition can come close to the honor and prestige associated with winning a major award at the NTA.

Competitors have come to know and trust the integrity of NTA judges. A committee set up by the NTA president and the competition-judging chairman, and then approved by the NTA board of directors has carefully screened these individuals. It doesn’t matter which mannikin or form you use or whom you work for, as anyone can win at the NTA and everyone has an equal opportunity. Only official NTA scoresheets are used where you can see exactly the areas you need to improve and can easily understand what you need to work on in the future. Awards are determined based upon how well you do against the scoresheet, not against someone else’s mount. Multiple ribbons are awarded in the “Open Division” for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place. If you have further questions after receiving your scoresheets on Saturday morning you are encouraged to speak with the judges. Naturally, as with all major sanctioned NTA competitions, each entry earning at least a 3rd place award will receive valuable points that can be used towards your “Award of Excellence” and “National Certification.”

NTA Judges Association Profiles
At the 2005, winter board meeting it was discussed and determined to provide NTA Judge’s Profiles and information via the Internet. Due to costs involved in publishing a new book as well as the frequent updating of judges addresses and telephone numbers it was cost prohibitive to publish Volume III. The NTA is making available upon request an attachment to those NTA members interested in obtaining the NTA Judges Profiles. Please note that affiliates are responsible to review the profiles and select their judges accordingly. Upon request, NTA headquarters can email you a new attachment of the handbook, which will include new profiles and additions. When downloading click yes to allow the new attachment to replace the old download version of the profiles.
The board also voted to establish a one-time life member-judging fee of $50.00. If you are a current judge and interested in becoming an NTA Life Judge please forward your money to NTAHQ.
DISCLAIMER: Please note, that it is up to each individual NTA affiliate to contact NTA headquarters to reference the current, renewed membership and judging status of an individual. 

Who Picks These Judges Anyway?
Members have asked, "How do the judges get chosen for the NTA convention?" It certainly is important that they are respected as competent opinion givers to the work that each competitor puts into their mounts. So how are they chosen? Well this year the same as before, the president appoints a board member to chair the judges committee. This year’s chairman is Joel Edwards of New Mexico. Joel was told the importance of a Democratic selection that would be made up of competent judges that would serve the competitor well and keep politics out of the picture. In past years the NTA has been fortunate to have outstanding individuals chair this important committee. Several of those chairmen of the past include Tony Gilyard, Greg Crain, Skip Skidmore, Mike Kirkhart, and Ron Reynolds. 

The competition and judges committee consists of several NTA members, judges, and board members and in all committee work is NTA president Bill Haynes. Phone calls usually start right after the close of the NTA convention to start work on the following year. Those individuals contacted are asked for names and input for each of the categories. A lot of things are considered when trying to come up with three names for each category. This gives the committee a list of qualified judges from several sources. Each member is then called and asked to vote in order 1-2-3 of their choice for each category. Each of the possibilities is then scored. 
The lowest score was the first selection for that category. None of the selection committee knows how the other voted. It works out pretty well. At the February Board Meeting the directors approve these selected judges. So there you have it. A simple and democratic way of deciding who the lucky individuals are that will be judging the NTA competition 

Distinguished Taxidermists Competition Information

The NTA Distinguished Taxidermists Competition is open to those NTA members who have won a Judges Best of Show award at an NTA sanctioned competition since the 2004 NTA Convention in Huntsville,Alabama this past July. Entrants must be registered members of the NTA Convention, be present at the convention, and pay all appropriate entry fees plus an additional $35 entry fee for this award. Entries in this competition will also be eligible to win all other awards in their proper division.

The mount entered in the Distinguished Taxidermists Competition must be the exact same mount that won in the state or regional affiliate competition and NO substitutes permitted. Any mount that has been entered in any previous NTA National Competition is NOT eligible. Entry into the Distinguished Taxidermists Competition is allowed only if members fulfill these requirements and present an official registration form. Forms may be obtained from NTA Headquarters upon request. NO ONE will be allowed entry into the Distinguished Taxidermists Competition unless this form is presented at time of entry.

Deadline For Competition Points

Wesley Touchstone, Chairman of the Competition Points Committee, wants to remind everyone that May 15th is the deadline for your competition points to be counted for those persons wanting to receive their 2005 Award of Excellence in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Those that have completed the requirements will be notified by June 1st that they will be receiving their NTA Award of Excellence. If your state has not turned in their points for your competition, remind them to do so promptly.

Requirements for the Award of Excellence

1. Earned at least 5 points at the NTA Annual Competition including one first place ribbon beginning with the 1982 competition.

2. Earned at least 16 additional points at a national, regional or state level in NTA sanctioned competition using NTA score sheets, criteria, and judges.

Note: One must be an NTA member prior to a competition before points will be credited. The competition must be an NTA Affiliate and follow NTA requirements for sanctioned competitions. It is the responsibility of the affiliate to complete the standard NTA forms for proper credit of points earned in competition. For information on competition points you may contact Wesley Touchstone at 5011 East Texas, Bossier City, LA 71111 or call 318-746-5792 or FAX: (318) 746-5878