2019 Major Award Winners

Challenge of the Art of Taxidermy
First Place – $250.00
MIKE ORTHOBER
Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
287 Hazel Grouse
The WASCO Award
Most Artistic Entry – $250.00
MIKE ORTHOBER
Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
287 Hazel Grouse

The Breakthrough Best of Show Award
Judges’ Choice Best of Show – $1,000.00
CLINT RICKEY
Dodgeville, Wisconsin
239 Whitetail Deer

Distinguished Taxidermist Award
Entry has previously won a Judges’ Best of Show at another qualifying competition – $150.00
MIKE NAKIELSKI
Iron Ridge, Wisconsin
281 Wood Duck

Taxidermist of the Year
The Theodore Roosevelt Lion Award – $1,000.00
MIKE ORTHOBER
Egg Harbor, Wisconsin
287 Hazel Grouse

Challenge of the Art of Taxidermy
Second Place – $150.00
MIKE NAKIELSKI
Iron Ridge, Wisconsin
280 Wood Duck

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
First Place – $1,500.00
BRIAN HENDRICKS
Scottville, Michigan
151 Bobcat

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
First Place – $1,500.00
BRIAN HENDRICKS
Scottville, Michigan
152 Bobcat

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
First Place – $1,500.00
BRIAN HENDRICKS
Scottville, Michigan
153 Arctic Fox

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
First Place – $1,500.00
BRIAN HENDRICKS
Scottville, Michigan
154 Gray Fox

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
Second Place – $1,000.00
TYLER HOFFMAN
Missoula, Montana
201 Oldsquaw

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
Second Place – $1,000.00
TYLER HOFFMAN
Missoula, Montana
202 Common Eider

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
Second Place – $1,000.00
TYLER HOFFMAN
Missoula, Montana
203 Harlequin

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
Second Place – $1,000.00
TYLER HOFFMAN
Missoula, Montana
204 Valley Quail

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
Third Place – $750.00
MIKE NAKIELSKI
Iron Ridge, Wisconsin
276 Wood Duck

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
Third Place – $750.00
MIKE NAKIELSKI
Iron Ridge, Wisconsin
277 Wood Duck

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
Third Place – $750.00
MIKE NAKIELSKI
Iron Ridge, Wisconsin
278 Wood Duck

NTA Competitor’s Award – Division of Excellence
Third Place – $750.00
MIKE NAKIELSKI
Iron Ridge, Wisconsin
279 Wood Duck

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
First Place – $1,000.00
JESSE HAESE
Clinton, Wisconsin
241 Otter

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
First Place – $1,000.00
JESSE HAESE
Clinton, Wisconsin
242 Coyote

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
First Place – $1,000.00
JESSE HAESE
Clinton, Wisconsin
243 Weasel

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
First Place – $1,000.00
JESSE HAESE
Clinton, Wisconsin
244 Squirrel

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
Second Place – $500.00
ERIC KALLIS
Kalispell, Montana 110 Yellow Perch

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
Second Place – $500.00
ERIC KALLIS
Kalispell, Montana
111 Wigeon

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
Second Place – $500.00
ERIC KALLIS
Kalispell, Montana
112 Whitetail Deer

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
Second Place – $500.00
ERIC KALLIS
Kalispell, Montana 113 Black Bear Cub

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
Third Place – $250.00
TOM HANSEN
Windom, Minnesota
126 Antelope
127 Antelope

NTA Competitor’s Award – Open Division
Third Place – $250.00
TOM HANSEN
Windom, Minnesota
128 Skunk
129 Skunk

Best All-Around Taxidermist
Highest Combined Score in Four Categories in Division of Excellence – $100.00
TYLER ERICKSON
Brookings, South Dakota
319 Whitetail Deer

Best All-Around Taxidermist
Highest Combined Score in Four Categories in Division of Excellence – $100.00
TYLER ERICKSON
Brookings, South Dakota
320 Perch

Best All-Around Taxidermist
Highest Combined Score in Four Categories in Division of Excellence – $100.00
TYLER ERICKSON
Brookings, South Dakota
321 Whitetail Deer (Lifesize)

Best All-Around Taxidermist
Highest Combined Score in Four Categories in Division of Excellence – $100.00
TYLER ERICKSON
Brookings, South Dakota
322 Goldeneye

Best All-Around Taxidermist
Highest Combined Score in Four Categories in Open Division – $100.00
ERIC KALLIS
Kalispell, Montana
110 Yellow Perch
111 Wigeon
112 Whitetail Deer
113 Black Bear Cub

NTA Best of Show Collective Artists
Judges’ Choice for Best Collective Artists Entry – $300.00
STEVE WERBELOW and JOSH HUNT
Powell, Wyoming
292 Whitetail Deer

Henry Wichers Inchumuk Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Lifesize Mammal, Size of Squirrel or Smaller – $100.00
JESSE HAESE
Clinton, Wisconsin
243 Weasel

Joseph Bruchac Memorial Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Whitetail Deer – $100.00
CLINT RICKEY
Dodgeville, Wisconsin 239 Whitetail Deer

Chris Barnhardt Memorial Award
Judges’ Choice for Best Gamehead – $100.00
BRIAN OLSON
Platteville, Wisconsin
290 Mule Deer
2019 North American Champions

North American Champion Turkey
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
SAM CAHOY
Aberdeen, South Dakota
199 Turkey Hen

North American Champion Whitetail Deer Open-Mouth
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
CLINT RICKEY
Dodgeville, Wisconsin
239 Whitetail Deer

North American Champion Whitetail Deer Closed-Mouth
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
LARRY O’MALLEY
Hayfield, Minnesota
312 Whitetail Deer

North American Champion Gamehead
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
NTA Best Habitat Award
Judges’ Choice for Outstanding Habitat – $100.00
BRIAN OLSON
Platteville, Wisconsin
290 Mule Deer
291 Mule Deer

North American Champion Small Mammal
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
BRIAN HENDRICKS
Scottville, Michigan
153 Arctic Fox

North American Champion Reptile Reproduction
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
JEFF MOURNING
Littleton, Colorado
264 Crocodile Lizard

North American Champion Reptile Skin Mount
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
ASHLEY TOWNE
Prior Lake, Minnesota
117 Western Hognose Snake

North American Champion Warmwater Fish Reproduction
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
JOSH KELLY
Lone Oak, Texas 251 Leopard Stingray

North American Champion Warmwater Fish Skin Mount
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
PETER JOHNSON
Ely, Minnesota
269 Walleye

North American Champion Coldwater Fish Skin Mount
First Place in the Division of Excellence – $200.00
JEFF MOURNING
Littleton, Colorado
263 Colorado River Cutthroat Trout
2019 National Champions

National Champion Whitetail Deer Open-Mouth
Highest Score in the Open Division – $100.00
MARK HERNANDEZ
Sabinal, Texas
283 Whitetail Deer

National Champion Whitetail Deer Closed-Mouth
Highest Score in the Open Division – $100.00
JENNA EVERAGE
Versailles, Indiana
247 Whitetail Deer

National Champion Gamehead
Highest Score in the Open Division – $100.00
JESSE HAESE
Clinton, Wisconsin
242 Coyote

National Champion Small Mammal
Highest Score in the Open Division – $100.00
JESSE HAESE
Clinton, Wisconsin
243 Weasel

National Champion Reptile Skin Mount
Highest Score in the Open Division – $100.00
JOSH JAHNER
Bismarck, North Dakota 158 Snapping Turtle

National Champion Warmwater Fish Reproduction
Highest Score in the Open Division – $100.00
ERIC KALLIS
Kalispell, Montana
110 Yellow Perch

National Champion Warmwater Fish Skin Mount
Highest Score in the Open Division – $100.00
CORY FOTH
Peabody, Kansas
228 Largemouth Bass

National Champion Coldwater Fish Skin Mount
Highest Score in the Open Division – $100.00
RICH WHITE
Billings, Montana
137 Brown Trout
2019 Other Awards

NTA Virtuoso Award
Sponsored by Pro-1 for excellence in “Molding & Casting” – $200.00
Taxidermists’ Choice Best Whitetail Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply – $100.00
CLINT RICKEY
Dodgeville, Wisconsin
239 Whitetail Deer

NTA Best of Show Novice
Judges’ Choice for Best Novice Entry – $100.00
DYLAN DIEBERT
Bismarck, North Dakota
162 Skunk

People’s Choice Award
The Charley Haynes Memorial Award – $100.00
DANIEL MENG
Bismarck, North Dakota
309 Tiger

Taxidermists’ Choice Best Life-size Mammal Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply – $100.00
DANIEL MENG
Bismarck, North Dakota
309 Tiger

Taxidermists’ Choice Best Fish Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply – $100.00
The Polytranspar Award
Highest Scoring Fish Painted with Polytranspar – $100.00
JOSH KELLY
Lone Oak, Texas
251 Leopard Stingray

Taxidermists’ Choice Best Reptile Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply – $100.00
BRIAN HENDRICKS
Scottville, Michigan
150 Diamondback Rattlesnake

Taxidermists’ Choice Best Bird Award
Sponsored by McKenzie Taxidermy Supply – $100.00
MIKE NAKIELSKI
Iron Ridge, Wisconsin
276 Wood Duck

NTA Best of Show Taxidermy Sculpture
Sponsored by the National Taxidermists Association – $100.00
BRIAN HENDRICKS
Scottville, Michigan
149 Gray Fox

NTA Best of Show Original Art
Selected by the judges collectively from all first-place winners in the five Original Art categories – $100.00
People’s Choice Original Art
Sponsored by the National Taxidermists Association – $100.00
VIC HEINCKER
Zebulon, North Carolina
318 Elephant

People’s Choice Taxidermy Sculpture
Sponsored by the National Taxidermists Association – $100.00
MAC McLANE
Suffolk, Virginia
250 Fox

NTA International African/Exotic Award
Judges’ Choice for Best African/Exotic Mount – $100.00
DIRK BAWDEN
Erda, Utah
119 Brush Tail Opossum

Delia Akeley Award
Best entry by a female competitor selected by convention attendees – $100.00
JENNA EVERAGE
Versailles, Indiana 247 Whitetail Deer

Van Dyke’s Award
Most Creativity Mammal, Gamehead or Whitetail Entry – $100.00
STEPHAN WOOLSTENHULME
Coalville, Utah
275 Bobcat