The Kansas Association of Taxidermists held their 35th annual Competition and Convention on March 24th through 26th at the Four Points by Sheraton in Manhattan.

Judges evaluated over 100 entries from taxidermists from eight states – NE, OK, MO, SD, CO, AZ, AR, KS – at the event.

Awards were presented on Saturday, March 25th which included the first class of inductees into the Kansas Association of Taxidermists Hall of Fame. The four inducted include:  Don Rush, Junction City; Gary Penn, Milford, Tom Bowman, Wakefield; and Mike Beckman of Grinnell, KS.

This year’s convention included a ladies’ luncheon and kid’s painting contest. Avery Rush of Junction City arranged the kid’s event with programs from Sunset Zoo and the painting of 16 plaster owls by the future taxidermists.

The association was founded in 1982 as a way to promote the art and trade of taxidermy as well as to create an understanding with the general public on the artform.