Taxidermist of
the Year.

The award

What Taxidermist of the Year means.

Taxidermist of the Year is the single highest honour at the NTA national competition. It carries the NTA Lion Sculpture on a walnut base with double brass plates and a $1,000 cash prize, and it is drawn from the entries achieving Gold, Silver or Bronze in the Distinguished division or Gold in North American.

It is not a popularity award and it is not judged in private. Entries are scored by credentialled judges on an NTA-approved score sheet, against correctness of specimen, taxidermy craftsmanship and degree of difficulty. Ninety points and above takes a medallion.

2026 — Bowling Green, Kentucky

Best of Show and Taxidermist of the Year: Jenna Everage, whitetail — also the Breakthrough and Pro-1 winner. Runner-up Best of Show: Kent Reedy, ruffed grouse. Distinguished Taxidermist: Clint Rickey (1st), Abel Everage (2nd) and Chip Wendt (3rd).

See every 2026 championship winner, with photographs →

The state show runner-up awards are a separate honor — see the 2026 Runner-Up Award winners.

Earlier years

Results from earlier championships are being added year by year.

The awards a winner can take

• Taxidermist of the Year — NTA Lion Sculpture, walnut base, double brass plates, $1,000 cash
• Best of Show — Breakthrough Best of Show Plaque, $1,000 cash; requires a minimum score of 90 and a North American entry
• Distinguished Taxidermist Champion — Gold, Silver and Bronze medallions at 90 points and above
• North American Champion — champion title medallion, champion hat, crystal medallions and cash
• Charlie Haynes Memorial Award — voted by Distinguished and North American competitors, honouring the association's 1972 founder
• Taxidermist's Choice — voted by every competitor across six categories

The full award list, including the memorial awards and the habitat and innovation challenges, is on the awards page.