2019 WORLD SHOW NEWS & INFORMATION
Later this fall and winter, we will have all details of the coming World Taxidermy and Fish Carving Championships® completed. The majority of our judges have been determined and contacted, but not all commitments are in at this date. As usual, an all-star cast for our seminar program is nearly set. All details for the 2019 show will be published in our fall issue along with show registration information. The show booklet will be completed and mailed toward the end of this year and the World Show website up and completed. The hotels are ready now for you to book your rooms as you will find that information on the next few pages.
WORLD SHOW 2919 HOTEL INFORMATION
Our special rate at both hotels is $102.00 per night plus tax, and includes two breakfast
buffets for each day booked. You must call directly to receive this rate at the
University Plaza Hotel 417-864-7333 or Holiday Inn Express 417-862-0070 (ask for the group
rate for the World Taxidermy Championships) or go to these special websites: Use Group code WTC
University Plaza Hotel, Springfield, Missouri. (The Expo Civic Center is located across the street from this Hotel.)
http://bookings.ihotelier.com/bookings.jsp?groupID=2287411&hotelID=17728
Our overflow hotel is the Holiday Inn Express and Suites,
Springfield, Missouri, located three blocks downhill from
the Civic Center.
Use Group code WTC
https://bit.ly/2L2aknD
New Habitat Division
Cash Award of $2,000.00 has been donated by Specialty Wood Products
Including a habitat has been a big part of taxidermy for the past 100 years. It was mainly employed by the great museums of the early 19th century and then by many of the larger studios throughout the mid-nineteen hundreds. When competition taxidermy re-entered our industry in the 1970s, habitats began their rise, not just into competition entries, but more and more commercial work as well. Today, at least 95 percent of competition taxidermy have integrated habitats as part of their compositions.
Around three years ago Pennsylvania taxidermist Bob Hutchinson (most people call him “Hutch”) begin to lobby for some type of special competition for habitat at the World Taxidermy Championships. As World Show chairman I always spend more than a few nights contemplating any changes or additions to the World Show structure. The time has now come to give habitats a special place at the World Taxidermy Championships.
Hutch not only loves to employ habitat as a part of his taxidermy, he has studied its use, its methods, the materials, and what makes it an integral part of our work. He is a seasoned professional taxidermist and has been a winner with both his taxidermy and his habitat compositions. He will be the first judge for this new division at the 2019 World Taxidermy Championships.
There will be two levels of competition in the Habitat Division.
1. Open Level will include entries from the regular Professional Division and Novice Division
2. Master Level will include entries from the Master Division and Collective Artists Division.
The categories for both levels
A. Land and Vegetation - at least 75 percent
B. Water and/or Ice - at least 75 percent
C. Combination of both - 50:50 or less than 75 percent
When registering your entry, the competition staff will ask you to select the appropriate category based on the category description. Please note: The judge of this competition will have the final say if he feels like the entry fits better in another category.
Who can enter
This division is for realistic habitats, not interpretive renderings. Anyone entered in the Professional, Novice, Master, and Collective Artists divisions can also enter the habitat portion of his or her entry in this new Habitat Division. The entry fee is $35.00.
Criteria
This division is for combinations of composed habitats, not just a dirt or sand base. The complexity of the composition will enhance the value of your score if all components are completed with an accurate and realistic appearance.
Awards and Ribbons
Best Overall Habitat Entry (selected from Best of Category winners) $500.00
Best of Category Open Level $200.00
Best of Categories Master Level $300.00
Multiple first-, second-, and third-place ribbons will be awarded in the Open and Master Level categories. The highest scoring entry in each category will be the Best of Category. The entries must score 100–90 to be eligible for a first place, 89–80 for second, and 79–70 for a third. The Best of Category winners from both levels will be eligible for Best Overall Habitat entry which will be decided by a panel of World Show judges.
Changes in Master Division Judging Procedure for 2019
In 2017, a few changes were made in the judging procedure for the Master Division of the World Taxidermy Championships. The World Show Regulatory committee made two very important changes as a result of the high number of entries in the Master Division categories. At the 2015 show we had a record number of entries of 217 in the Master (World Title) Division, and again in 2017 we had 207 entries and over 300 in the other divisions. The demand of getting the judging completed in a timely manner became a real challenge. We certainly did not want to discourage participation in the Master Division, so the changes were necessary in order to lighten the burden for judges and give them more time on each entry.
This change certainly helped, but the final decisions for determining Best in World winners still carried over into Thursday, and the multiple-team voting was still taking much more time than expected — in some cases it actually complicated the procedure. In reviewing the past 5 shows, the team voting at the end resulted in the same order the category judges scored the respective categories in the vast majority of titles awarded. The results of this study and the growth of the World Title division have resulted in additional changes to the judging procedure in the Master Division.
For previous World Shows from 2009 to 2015, we used three judges for each Masters entry to get an average score. In 2017, we went back to using two judges. This allowed us to divide this task to where each judge was only required to judge no more than one or two Master Division categories.
An additional change has been made for the 2019 competition. We will no longer have a final vote by 5 judges after the two category judges complete their final scoring of all entries. The two judges will make the final decision for Best in World, Second in World, and Third in World once they have their first-place pieces determined in each subcategory. Only if there is a split decision, where each judge favors a different entry in deciding a Best in World title, a third judge will be brought in to cast a vote to break the tie.
All Master Division Entries Must Be Entered No Later Than 11:00 a.m. Wednesday
Judging for the Master Division starts at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, 2019.
Other taxidermy competition entries may be checked in from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, and on Wednesday between 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Master Division entries can be checked in from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, and on Wednesday between 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Competitors, other than those competing in the Master Division, will have one hour to groom their mounts after the 3:00 p.m. deadline, but all entries must be in the competition room by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1. All entries must stay on exhibit until 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 4. Sorry, but there will be no exceptions to this rule. All entried must be removed by 6:00 p.m. When mount entries are released on Saturday you must have your claim ticket to remove your entry. If you are unable to be present to remove your entry, please designate someone who will do this for you.
The Bronze Wildlife Sculpture Invitational (BWSI)
We are introducing a new division for bronze wildlife sculpture at the 2019 World Taxidermy Championships. The idea for this first Bronze Wildlife Sculpture Invitational was introduced by Vic Heincker and Aaron Connelly, and it was their suggestion to start an invitational for those who began their careers in wildlife art through their involvement in taxidermy. Realizing there have been many taxidermists who have developed their sculpture talents as taxidermists and moved forward with very successful careers in other fields of wildlife art, it is time to recognize these artists in some way.
Taxidermy has been the starting point and introduction into wildlife art for many successful sculptors, painters, and carvers. Some entered the field of taxidermy because of their love for wildlife and for recreating it. Others entered taxidermy to enhance their knowledge of anatomy and/or learn more about the intricate details of the animals they wish to replicate. This is a division to honor and see the art work of so many who got their starts in taxidermy.
There will be no entry fee for the display of their work, but they must be registered for the show. We will have a reserved location in the Springfield Expo Center lobby for these sculptures. There will be a limit of 4 bronze pieces by each artist and they can register their entries at the taxidermy registration table.
We have started a list of those who fit the above criteria. If you know of a sculptor who you feel should be added to this list, send his/her name and email information to info@breakthroughmagazine.com.
There will be four categories for the wildlife art sculptures. Because of room limitations we would prefer to limit entries this first year to smaller than lifesize models unless the sculptures are of smaller animals. The entries will not be judged. All WTC registrants will receive ballots to vote for their favorite entries in each category and their choices for best of show. Ribbons will be awarded to the highest scoring entry in each category and a plaque will be awarded for Best of Show Wildlife Bronze Sculpture.
Categories
1. Mammals 3. Fish
2. Birds 4. Others or mixed groups