The 2007 World Taxidermy Championships Rules

World Challenge Division
Rules and Regulations
This is the selected photo of a Gray Partridge, also called a Hungarian Partridge, to be replicated through taxidermy for the World Avian Challenge at the 2007 World Taxidermy Championships®. The photo was taken by photographer Mike Wilkes of the United Kingdom. The competition will be judged using this pose as the reference criteria. The entry that most closely duplicates this pose in every aspect will win the World Avian Challenge. Please read the rules and guidelines for this first-ever competition. Remember, it will take your participation to make it successful. This competition is not just about winning -- it is also about learning. When you mount a bird using your current knowledge and abilities and then have it critiqued by three of the world's finest bird taxidermists, it should put you steps ahead in understanding, reading, and replicating anatomy from your reference to your finished mounts.

1. The purpose: The idea behind this challenge is to put all bird taxidermists on an equal playing field for a competition by restricting it to the same species in the same pose. The idea of this challenge, which was first proposed by Peter Sunesen of Denmark, offered the potential for learning and understanding the many elements necessary to produce a world-class competition piece. After considering the value that could be gained from a competition like this, it was decided to add it as a World Taxidermy Championships® division. In order to make it both a competition challenge and a new learning experience, the following guidelines were prepared for the World Avian Challenge.

Please note this division does not award the winner a World Title; that possibility is restricted to entries in the Master Division.

2. Who may compete? Any registrant of the World Show® may enter this competition, including judges of the World Show who are not part of the World Avian Challenge judging team. We do not recommend this division for novices or beginning taxidermists. This division will be most valuable to competitors who need to see why they cannot climb over that hump to vie for first places and Best of Category awards. If you have achieved at least a second place in open levels of competitions, you should consider entering the Challenge division. There is no doubt that there will be some accomplished taxidermists competing for this first Avian Challenge title, but that should not be an intimidating factor to not compete, but rather a compelling factor to see what it takes to compete at the highest level. The division is designed to be fun, educational, and rewarding for those competing as well as those watching the judging.

3. Guidelines: The mount must be on a simple base of no more than 8 inches in diameter (20.3 centimeters) with no habitat. Any type of wood, foam, or rock base will be accepted as long as it is prepared for a table. No pedestal entries. Since Hungarian partridges of either sex are similar in appearance, either sex may be entered. The entry will be judged on anatomical accuracy, species shape, correctness of feather patterns, and craftsmanshipÑin other words, all elements seen in the live bird and contained in the reference photo supplied for this unique competition.

4. Judging: The judging is set to take place Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the Reno Events Center. The Avian Challenge will be judged by three European judges who are already part of the judging team for the 2007 World Championships: Jack Fishwick (England), Lennart Pettersson (Sweden), and Peter Sunesen (Denmark).

The judging of this division will take place in an open forum with seating for approximately 100 viewers. Those who have entries in the challenge will be given reserved seats at the front of the forum. Of course, the judges will not know the names associated with the entries, nor will that information be announced to those in attendance. The three judges will be equipped with lavaliere microphones so that everyone can hear their comments and opinions as the judging proceeds. No questions, comments, or voiced opinions will be allowed from the audience until the judging is completed, at which time there will be a question-and-answer session (as time allows). The purpose for this open-forum judging procedure will be for the educational experience it offers. The competitors, as well as those in attendance, will see first-hand how three experts in bird taxidermy evaluate the correctness of taxidermy.

5. Awards: Special ribbons acknowledging this competition will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners. This competition will offer multiple ribbons for all birds that are determined to be ranked a first, second, or third place. No score sheets will be used since the judging process will be viewed in the open forum. This is similar to how wildfowl carving competitions have been judged for years.

6. Entry Fee: The entry fee for the competition will be $35.00, of which $20.00 will be put in a prize fund for the three top entries, as determined by the judges. The first place winner of the three top entries will receive 50 percent of this fund plus a recognition plaque as the winner of the World Avian Challenge. The second and third place winners will each receive 25 percent of the prize fund.

7. Special Seminar: Peter Sunesen, one of the three European judges, has also offered to do a seminar mounting a gray partridge in the pose selected for the challenge. This will be seminar #20 on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. at the Silver Legacy Hotel.

Interpretations of all rulings or regulations (and any rules not provided for) will be decided by the World Taxidermy Championships® Regulatory Committee. If you have a specific question regarding the competition, contact Regulatory Committee Chairman, Skip Skidmore at Brigham Young University, 290 M.L. Bean Museum, Provo, UT 84602. Telephone: 801-378-5052.