Back Issues Index - Breakthrough Magazine

Who are the World Champions?THE FIRST WORLD SHOW WAS HELD IN 1983 IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.It was a huge success, and brought forth the most cherished titles in taxidermy.During the formative years of the World Shows, it must be remembered that therewere various category and title changes. We have attempted to present former winnersin a simple and understandable listing, however, for the first couple of years,the names of various World Titles varied, and we have noted these variations.We will also want to remind you that many times there are no World Titles givenin various categories if the judges determine there are no entries worthy ofthose title. For that reason, you will notice that there were no titles awarded in certainyears of the World Championships.From 1983 until 1988, the World Show was held every year. It is now heldevery two years in odd-numbered years. For clarity, the years that no shows wereheld were 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000. In 2008 aWorld Taxidermy Championships® was held in Salzburg, Austria.There has been contention after previous World Taxidermy and Fish CarvingChampionships® about who can and cannot designate themselves “World Champion.”It has been decided by the officers of Breakthrough Magazine Inc., who isthe trademark- and registration-holder of the World Taxidermy Championships®and World Fish Carving Championships®, that the title “WORLD CHAMPION” is officiallygiven ONLY to a competitor who has won a Best in World title in the Masterand Collective Artists divisions of taxidermy, and in the Open Level of fish carving.Winners of other major awards should be extremely proud of their accomplishmentsand should designate that such awards were won “at the World Championships.”We note this because winning a title at the World Show® does NOT make youa World Champion—UNLESS you win “Best in World.”Reprinted from Rule 24, 2007 Official World Show RulesBEST IN WORLD LIFESIZE MAMMAL1984 Kim Fritzler Mule deer1985 Brad Bruce Raccoon1986 Bob Elzner Black bear1988 Terry Springer Otter1992 Jan Van Hoesen Bobcat1995 Darin Flynn Fox squirrels1997 Rodney Schreurs Opossum1999 Ken Walker Two timber wolves2001 Ken Zimmerman Desert bighorn sheep2003 Merle Heintz Thomson’s gazelle2005 Tommy Hall (Small-Medium) Whitetail deer fawn2005 Jason Snowberger (large) Cougar (w/baby)2007 Ole Schanke (small-med.) European marten2007 Dawayne Dewey (large) Argali sheep2008 Hans Niedermair (large,huntable) Mouflon sheep2008 Christian Blumenstein (small, non-game) Yellow-necked mouse2008 Dirk Opalka (sm.-med., game) Two red foxes2009 Ashley Barrett (large) Mountain lion2009 Brian Harness Bobcat (small mammal)2011 Phil Soucy (large) Cougar2011 Lance Van Dusen (small) Corsican lambBEST IN WORLD WHITETAIL DEER1983 Joe Coombs Whitetail deer1984 Sallie Dahmes Whitetail deer1985 Joe Meder Whitetail deer1987 Cary Cochran Whitetail deer1988 Hilton Eppley Whitetail deer1992 Ronnie Gaillard Whitetail deer1995 Gene Smith Whitetail deer1997 Paul Cales Whitetail deer1999 Pat Wagner Whitetail deer2001 Brad Eppley Whitetail deer2003 Mike Rohanna Whitetail deer2005 Gene Smith Whitetail deer2007 Tommy Hall Whitetail deer2008 Eric Boffety *Roe deer (Eur. WTC)2009 Ed Piaskowski Whitetail Deer2011 Vincent Fleming Whitetail Deer1984Kim Fritzler1983Joe CoombsBEST IN WORLD GAMEHEAD1985 Sallie Dahmes Mule deer1986 Wayland Adams Elk1987 Don Holt Axis deer1988 Brad Eppley Black bear1992 Brad Eppley Elk1995 Brian Dobson Mule deer1997 Tom Weickum Pronghorn1999 Rion White Moose2001 Todd Kranau Wild boar with rattlesnake2003 Bryan Roll Bison2005 Monte Hogarth (large gamehead) Elk2005 Andy Nimmons (med-sm gamehead European boar2007 NO WINNER (large gamehead)2007 Robert Bennett (med-sm gamehead European boar2008 Eric Boffety Red stag2009 Robert Bennett (small-medium) Wild boar2009 Doug Sinniger (large) Caribou2011 Mike Olsanowski (large) Cape buffalo2011 Jean Roll (small, med.) Red foxBEST IN WORLD BIRD1983 Kenny Asproth *Capercaillie1984 Ed Thompson **Turkey1984 Frank Newmyer Chicken1984 Frank Newmyer Bird group1985 David Spears Black duck1986 Kelly Seibels Harlequins1987 Kent Reedy Richardson’s goose1988 William Brandenburg Scoter1992 Frank Newmyer King eider1995 Charlie Fanta Bald eagle1997 Cally Morris Turkey1999 Gary Pegg Cockatoo2001 Uwe Bauch Warbler2003 Uwe Bauch Tree Sparrow2005 Lennart Peterson (gamebird) Hazel hen2005 Peter Sunesen (non-gamebird) Roller2007 NO WINNER (non-gamebird) _______2007 NO WINNER (gamebird) _______2008 Jean Pierre Renault (gamebird) Wood pigeon2008 Robert Stein (non-gamebird) Buffon’s macaw2009 Randy Holler (gamebird) Ring-necked pheasant2011 NO WINNER (gamebird) _______‡2011 Jan Fredriksson (non-gamebird) Green Woodpecker‡2011 Lowell Shapley (non-gamebird) Keel-billed Toucan* Kenny Asproth-won Best in World Bird with freeze-dried capercaillies in 1983.After 1983, this title was only awarded to skin-mounted birds. That same year, JackWilson won Best in World Mixed Group Birds.** Ed Thompson won this title as Best in World Turkey. After that year, turkeys wereincluded in the category of Best in World Birds.‡ Shared title for 2011.BEST IN WORLD TURKEY2005 NO WINNER2007 Shane Smith Ocellated turkeys2009 Brett DeFrietas Eastern turkey2011 Brett DeFrietas Eastern turkeyBEST IN WORLD WATERFOWL1999 Kevin Hynes Wood duck2001 Harvey Zeigler III–Marion IL Two blue geese and one snow goose2003 Joe Segler Canvasbacks2005 Harvey Zeigler Pintail, gray duck group2007 Billy Ollie King eider2008 NO WINNER2009 Jerry Froelich Smew/Hood (cross)2011 Jerry Froelich Emperor goose1986Wayland Adams1983Kenny Asproth2011 Breakthrough Index, Issues 1–101 Page 45