2012 PTA Show
Feb 29 - March 3, 2012
Seven Springs, PA

2012 PTA Entry Form

2012 PTA Application

2012 PTA Rules (Part 1)
2012 PTA Rules (Part 2)
2012 PTA Rules (Part 3)

Judges:
Frank Kotula (PA) - Fish  Frank started taxidermy in 1998 by attending the PA Institute of Taxidermy.  From there he joined the PA Taxidermists Association and started to learn
more by attending all the seminars he could.  Frank has spent years working with many World & National Champions to further enhance his knowledge.  Frank won his first
Best Of category in 2000 with a reproduction Pumpkinseed and hasn't stopped winning since.  His latest accomplishment was at the 2011 World Taxidermy Championships
where he took 2nd in World Coldwater Fish Skin Mount with a Brown Trout.  Frank is also a North American & National Champion and has won numerous other awards
including: Best All Around Taxidermist, Best of Shows & 1st, 2nd, 3rd places in Warm, Coldwater & reproductions at the World Shows.  Frank will be presenting a seminar
on casting a bluegill or crappie - here's your chance to learn from one of the World's top-notch fish guys!

Fred Gonzales (PA) - Small Mammals  Fred lives in Lebanon, PA with his wife Suzie and their two children Mackenzie & Griffin and has run a full time taxidermy shop for 13 years.  Fred has competed extensively with mammals and his latest accomplishment was at the 2011 World Taxidermy Championships where he earned 3rd in World in Medium size Small Mammals.  His other awards include:  North American Champion, National Champion, 4 time PA State Champion, WASCO, Van Dyke's & numerous Fur Bearer Awards.  Fred is a
Lifetime PTA member, marine & has enjoyed coaching baseball for the last 20 years.  Fred along with a panel of taxidermists will be presenting a business seminar that you
won't want to miss out on.  Topics to be covered are:  mistakes made early in business, ways to save money, competition plus's and minus's, commercial tan vs. self tan, customer relations, open discussion Q & A.

Mike Rohanna (PA) - Deer  There are several things that Mike looks for when judging - good taxidermy craftsmanship - anatomical accuracy and a visually pleasing expression
(according to species).  Mike had won numerous awards including Best In World Whitetail, 3rd In World Game head, National Champion Whitetail, National Champion
Gamehead, Master of Masters Whitetail & Gamehead in PA, and numerous State titles.  Mike will be presenting a seminar on whitetail finishing - plan on attending and learning
Mike's whitetail techniques.

Ken Zimmerman (PA) - Large Mammals  Ken lives in Martinsburg, PA with his wife Grace and two daughters Lisa & Marcia.  Ken's taxidermy career began in 1996 when he was employed by Zimmerman Wildlife.  He loved the art, learned quickly and in a few short years was producing good quality commercial work.  He began attending and giving seminars at
numerous State and World Shows, and assisting in judging at State, National, and World Shows.  In 2001 he won PA State Champion in large lifesize mammals, the Rayline
Award, and the Safari Club International Award.  At the World Taxidermy Championships that same year he won Best In World large lifesize with his Desert Sheep.  More recently
at the 2011 World Taxidermy Championships he won Best In World Collective Artist Division along with Marcus & Winston Zimmerman for a lifesize Altai Argali Sheep.  In 2004
Ken formed a partnership with Marcus Zimmerman at Zimmerman Wildlife, and today Zimmerman Wildlife completes approximately 375 high quality large lifesize and game head
taxidermy mounts per year for clients across the U.S.

Brett Defraites (KY) - Birds, Turkeys, etc.  Brett has studies birds and their habitat for several years and has been fortunate to win just about anything you can win a competition with
birds including World & National Championship titles.  Since managing to do that in a very short period of time, Brett has now turned his attention to helping others learn about the anatomy of birds and how they can and can't move from one pose to another.  Brett enjoys seeing someone's face when they understand what he's telling them.  "It's like a
little light bulb going off in their head."  Most of the time it's not big things that make a big difference, but rather it's the small ones that make the most impact.  Don't forget to
join Brett as he presents a seminar on turkey anatomy.

Tim Flanigan (PA) - Art  Tim is a full-time freelance writer & photographer and a contributing photographer for the Upland Almanac, Ruffed Grouse Society & Buckmasters online.
His work may also be seen in Game & Fish publications, Pennsylvania Outdoor News, Wildfowl Carving magazine, North American Whitetail magazine and the Pennsylvania
Game News and Pennsylvania Game Commission Calendars.  Tim also enjoyed a 30 year career as a Wildlife Conservation Officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission in Westmoreland & Bedford Counties.  Tim has judged numerous photography and art competitions for the Carnegie Museum, Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show, National Junior
Duck Stamp Competition, The Pennsylvania Duck Stamp Competition, and various National and State outdoor writing and photography competitions.  Tim and his wife Debbie established Nature Exposure in 1987.  Their photography and outdoor writing marketing business is located in beautiful Bedford, Pennsylvania.  The business's goal is to help educate, inspire and enhance the public's appreciation of the natural world.  Tim will be presenting a Wildlife Photography seminar that you won't want to miss.

Seminar Presenters:
Dave Tuttle - Birds of Prey with live reference
Mike Olszanowski - Gameheads
Vince Spellane - Creating bases
Aaron Connelly - Bear heads
Matt Zimmerman - Carving snake bodies
Dave McBride - mammal feet
PA Game Commission - Wildlife diseases
Page Nethercutt - Hands on waterfowl
Mary Kotula - Ladies event
Connie Jordan, Michelle Burkholder & Brian Claar - Children's seminar

2012 PTA Hands-On Seminar with Page Nethercutt (Waterfowl)

Schedule Of Events:

President's Cup Challenge
Because of renewed interests and special requests, the "President's Challenge Cup" will be back in circulation and part of the competition at the 2012 Annual Convention.  Remember, it will take your participation to make it successful.  This will be fun, educational and rewarding for those competing as well as those gathered around during the judging.  This year the entry is the Wood Duck.  The Wood Duck is to be the only specimen in the mount.  Any mount that is entered in the President's Challenge will not be included in any other category for any other award.  The Wood Duck can be mounted in any pose, any method and any base.

*  Judged by panel of judges as well as the current President of the PTA.
*  The entry will be judged on anatomical accuracy and craftsmanship as well as general artistic appearance.
*  The judging will take place on Saturday during the Awards Party.
*  The judging of the President's Challenge Cup will be in an open area where anyone can gather around to be part of the critiques and judges decisions.
*  No questions, comments, or voiced opinions will be allowed from the audience until the judging is completed at which time there will be a question and answer session (as time allows).  The purpose for this open forum judging procedure will be for the educational experience it offers.
*  No score sheets will be used since the judging process will be viewed in the open forum.  The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the judging and the Trophy Cup will be awarded.
*  The entry fee will be $30.00.  $20.00 from the entry fee will go for the prize money and will be awarded to the winner of the Cup.
*  This is open to all members.  There will be only one winner.

The winning information will be engraved on the plaques of the "Cup".  The "Cup" will then be forwarded to the winner so that they can keep the "Cup" until the following convention.  At the following convention, they will exchange it for a plaque, which the competitor will keep.

Speed Mounting Wars - Pennsylvania Style
Who will take home the cash?
February 29, 2012 - Wednesday Evening from 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
$25 per person, pays 3 places (1st = 50%, 2nd = 30%, 3rd = 20%)
Judged by everyone in attendance by secret ballot.
Entry fee collected at the door.

Rules:
*  120 minutes (2 hours) to complete your mount.
*  Skins can be prepped and holes sewn.
*  Mannikin can be prepped.  Antlers can be preset.
*  Eyes and ears MUST BE DONE ahead of time.  Bondo ears cannot be done ahead of time!  Ear liners cannot be glued and inserted ahead of time!
*  Absolutely no help from anyone.
*  Each person must supply their own mounting stand, tools, and supplies.
*  Mounting starts promptly at 8:00 pm.
*  Winner chosen by secret ballot by everyone in attendance at 10:00 pm
*  Making fun of your competitor is encouraged!

Questions:  Dave Houser  (717)957-3637