Judges
Todd Kranau - Life size and game head Judge
Todd Kranau - Life size and game head Judge
Todd Kranau - Life size and game head Judge
Jack Emery - Deer Judge
Todd Kranau - Life size and game head Judge
Todd Kranau - Life size and game head Judge
Jack is a two-time National Champion deer taxidermist. He received the Top Competitor Award at the World Taxidermy Show in 2011 in the Professional division and was the World Champion in 2013. He is also a two-time winner of the Joseph Bruchae Award, North American Champion and is an inductee in the Illinois Taxidermy Association Hall of Fame. Jack has judged several state shows, the UTA show and the World Show in 2017.
Kirby Ross - Fish Judge
Randy Holler - Bird Judge
Randy Holler - Bird Judge
Kerby started doing taxidermy in 1975 and competing in the 1990’s. Mostly self taught until 1991 when he joined the Arizona Taxidermy Artist Association (ATAA). Although Kerby does all phases of taxidermy he enjoys reptiles and fish the most and mainly competes with reptiles and fish. He has won numerous awards in taxidermy to include numerous State Champion awards in reptile and fish categories. Numerous People’s Choice Best Reptile awards, numerous Starfish awards, McKenzie Distinguished Service award, McKenzie Best Fish award, Kansas Best Out Of State award, Kansas Master Best Reproduction awards (State Champion), New Mexico Taxidermy Association President’s award, numerous Original Art awards, numerous Van Dykes Most Original and Creative awards, numerous Polytranspar awards, Matuska award (Master Division) and other Competitor’s award, numerous Blue ribbons and Best of Category awards in the Masters Division in the fish and reptile categories, two Blue ribbons at the 2009 World Show in Professional Reproductions (reptiles). He also received 3rd place ribbons in Master Division (reptile reproduction) at four World Taxidermy Championships. He has given seminars at state shows in Arizona, Kansas, Idaho, Western Regional (New Mexico), the United Taxidermist Association (UTA) and at the 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2022 World Taxidermy Championships. Kerby has judged fish and reptiles at state shows and reptiles at the United Taxidermist Assoc. (UTA) show in 2012 and 2016. Kerby has taught taxidermy at Yavapai College in the early 1990s. He has had numerous articles published in Breakthrough magazine for wildlife artists (fish, reptile, molding & casting and wood carving articles), the Herp Nation for herpers, Reptiles Magazine, the annual Texas Taxidermy Association magazine and the UTA Artisan magazine. Kerby has a BS degree in history from Kansas State University and a MA degree in management from Webster University. You can typically find Kerby out in the desert looking for snakes to photograph and carving fish and snake walking sticks.
Randy Holler - Bird Judge
Randy Holler - Bird Judge
Randy Holler - Bird Judge
My name is Randy Holler and I am looking forward to judging birds at the UTA show in April. I live in my hometown Hettinger, North Dakota where I run a full-time business, The Wildlife Studio. I have been a Taxidermist since 1997. Although I work in all areas of Taxidermy in my shop, I specialize in birds. Through Years of study and competitions I have gained Knowledge of birds and would like to share what I have learned with all of you.
Some of my accomplishments as a Taxidermist include multiple Best of Show awards, dozens Judges Choice awards, 2008 and 2001 North American Champion, Bird awards, NTA Award of Excellence, 2008 NTA Taxidermist of the Year Award, 2009 Best in World, Game Bird and 2022 Second in World, Non-Game Bird.
I like to make my seminars as informative as possible and love to answer as many questions as I can. My seminar for this show is “Understanding reference and how to use it”. I encourage you to bring your notebooks and questions! Look forward to seeing you all there.
Schedule of Events
