Our annual convention and competition will again be held at DoubleTree by Hilton at 16 Ella Grasso Turnpike in Windsor Locks, CT. 860-627-5171. Be sure to ask for the NEAT block rate of $109. 2020 dates are June 5-June 7.  

          Brenda DuVall and Jim Kimball here. We have decided to do something different here and write our bio’s as one. The two of us have very similar begins with taxidermy. I was introduced to it by a High School Biology teacher and Brenda by a friend at the same time, some 35 plus years ago.

     At present time we work together in our full time studio located in Medford, Wisconsin. Taxidermy is pretty much a seven day a week job that we both love.

     We both have the same belief with taxidermy, that in order to have consistent results with the final product you must first have an understanding of anatomy and movement in the particular bird or mammal you are working on. This will only happen if you take the time to educate yourselves thru reference books, watching live animals in their natural habitat, and most importantly from competing and learning from others. So whether you’re a Beginner or a Master you should be competing to learn, not win.

          Brenda has taken to heart the meaning of giving back to the industry.  She maintained a board seat for 8 years and then served as the vice president of the Wisconsin Taxidermy Assoc.  She served on the NTA board of directors for two consecutive terms, 6 years.  She then went on to serving on the UTA Board of directors for many years, serving as secretary, then vice-chairman then 3 years as the Chairman of the UTA.

      Collectively as competitors we have been blessed to win many major awards. Between the two of us we have Four Best of Shows, Four WASCO’s, numerous Best of Category's, Carl Ackley Award, NTA National and North American Championships, World Show 1st. Place Competitor Award, 3rd in the World Waterfowl, Breakthrough Award, and the list goes on.

          Taxidermy has also taken us places we never thought were possible. We have worked on animals and props for 5 major movies and numerous commercials.  We spent 2 months in Africa setting up a tannery and taxidermy studio for a private company. We have traveled to Australia, New Zealand, and Canada to judge and teach, and learned so much in return.

     Our involvement in the competition part of this industry has provided us with many memorable moments. Not only has competing improved our techniques, it has also brought many cherished friendships into our lives.

      We look forward to being part of your convention and wish all of you safe travels to the event.


Annual Convention Details  2020

RULES OF COMPETITION
1) All attending must be dues paying members of NEAT and must be registered at this convention or before.
Registration badge must be worn at all times.
2) All competition pieces should be pre-registered at the cost of $25.00/piece.
3) Pick up your packet before entering competition pieces. All competition pieces must be delivered to check in area by 5:00 pm on Friday. Any final grooming is to be done only in the check-in area prior to the official judging session. Pieces may not be removed until the end of the board meeting on Sunday. NO EXCEPTIONS! Anyone wanting someone else to transport their competition pieces on Sunday will need to supply a written document to the competition committee with both signatures for release. 4) No one is to be allowed in the competition area prior to, or during, judging other than authorized competition committee personnel.
5) Pieces may be used to compete only one time in a NEAT competition.
6) HANGERS. Please place all hangers so that they extend above the panel on backer. If two hangers are required, space on full inches apart for pegboard display. (You can move them back down after the show).
7) A competition piece can be rejected from competition if members of the committee judge it to be lewd or offensive to the general public (i.e. blood, trap, arrow, and also NO LIVE AMMO allowed).
8) Any plaques or signs identifying the taxidermist or customer must be removed or obscured before judging. All glass cases must be removed by the competitor only before judging. This will be done in the grooming area.
9) Multiple ribbons will be awarded in most categories, according to quality of work. In the event of a tie, duplicate ribbons will be given.
10) Score sheets will be given to competitor. Raw score will be used for the ribbon placement in al the classes. Judges will be notified of the class.
11) Any un-sportsman like behavior will result in loss ribbon.
12) Animals hunted legally in the world are allowed with proper permit including transport permits. Hawks, Owls, Songbirds, or Eagles will have state and federal paperwork. The competitor is responsible for knowing and following all such laws pertaining to species on federal or state protected or threatened lists. 
13) JUDGE’S DECISIONS WILL BE FINAL.
14) All competition pieces will be entered at the competitor’s own risk. NEAT is not responsible for any liability due to damage, theft, fire, or natural causes.
15) Any competitor 16 years old and under will receive a ribbon and may register under family membership, but must still pay the entry fee.
16) If you bring any animal that does not conform to the score sheet or category, you must submit photos and reference pictures for the judge to determine if it was correctly interpreted in the mount. There will be no best of category ribbon.
17) Competitors will be expected to abide by a decision of the NEAT board on any circumstances not covered by the above rules.

A mount can only be entered in one division in the competition, i.e. you cannot enter the same mount in the masters and commercial division at the same time.

Jim Kimball - Birds and mammals

Fred is from Pennsylvania and has been a taxidermist for 25 years, 22 of those years full time. He has won 3rd in world, North American Champion, National Champion, Eastern National Champion and is a multi champion winner at the state level. We welcome him for the first time to our show.

Fred Gonzalez - Deer and Fish

2020 Judges


CLASSES OF COMPETITION

AMATEUR: Anyone in business less than a year, or does not do any commercial work, or who has never won a first place ribbon in any taxidermy competition.
PROFESSIONAL: Anyone who is not an Amateur or a Master.
MASTERS: Any Professional who has won three first place ribbons on a state or national level in a given division or category must move up to the Masters class in that category only. Any Professional may enter into the Masters class at any time.
DIVISION OF EXCELLENCE:  Any competitor who has won three 1st place masters ribbons in that category, or two blue and a BOC, or who has achieved the NTA award of excellence in that given category.
YOUTH: Anyone 16 years old or under and must be registered as a family membership. An essay explaining what inspired the piece may be added, but is not mandatory.
COMMERCIAL: Any average customer’s piece.
MASTER OF MASTERS: Winners of Breakthrough at any show level or winner of 1st, 2nd or 3rd at National or World level may compete in this class to be 
voted on by the attending taxidermists.
​

Categories of Competition
1) Amateur, Professional, Masters Classes & Division of Excellence:
  • Whitetail deer heads: open and closed mouth categories.
  • Game heads: open and closed mouth categories.
  • Life Size Mammals:
  • Small: Coyote and smaller, juvenile large mammals, fawns, cubs, etc will be included as small mammals  determined by body mass as to coyote size.
  • Large: Any mammal larger then a coyote.
  • Birds: Upland birds, Waterfowl, Turkeys – allow freeze dry heads.
  • Reptiles: Skin Mounts.
  • Reproductions: Fish, Reptiles, Amphibians, replica antlers, etc.
  • Fish: ALL fish are judged as a two-sided mount. The only one-sided fish is in the commercial, youth and amateur divisions. The judge will need to see two eyes and a finished area to blend the seam to score the fish. Please specify the category on the entry sheet. The competition committee will classify Anything questionable into the commercial division.

2) Wildlife Art:
  •  Wildlife art will be any open category—to include but not exclusive of sculpture, painting, photography, carving, casting, or flat art. (The judges will choose the winner.)
  • Nothing will be allowed that is lewd or offensive to the public (i.e. traps, blood, arrows, and NO LIVE AMMO).

3) Commercial Category:
  • The reason for having a commercial class is for the average customer’s piece to be critiqued. The commercial category will follow all previously stated rules. This will be an open class.
  • Each piece will be judged without the use of a flashlight and physical touch. Judges will critique and place a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place ribbon. A  Best of Category ribbon will be awarded in each category to the best blue ribbon entry (category judge’s choice).
  • All judges will then judge Best of Category winners in the commercial division for Best of Show Commercial. Commercial pieces will be eligible for Taxidermist’s Choice, President’s Trophy and the WASCO Awards.

4) Freeze Dry:
  • This will be an open class. Entries must be designated for this category. No other freeze dry will be in the general competition other than turkey heads.

5) Novelties:
  • All classes together.

6) Open Class:
  • This will be a combination of all pieces. Amateur, Professional and Masters in one class (freeze dry, commercial, wildlife art, and novelty categories only).

7) Best of Category:
  • These ribbons will be awarded in each class for categories listed above in 1. The Best of Category ribbon will go to the highest blue ribbon entry. If a class has no blue ribbon, it will not receive a Best of Category ribbon.

Where Knowledge and Friendship Meet

Brenda Duvall - Mammals and Gameheads


Type your paragraph here.