Trophy Takers 2017 Awards:

Chevallan Archery Park played host to the 2017 Trophy Takers Awards, located just outside the town of Gympie in southern Queensland.  The awards weekend was held in conjunction with Chevallan’s major traditional shoot for the year, making for a large and diverse group of bowhunters and traditional archers alike, as well as some of the best traditional archery courses and novelty events likely to be seen anywhere.

Chevallan Archery Park was a perfect setting for the awards, the club was extremely welcoming to the Trophy Takers cohort, and the campground and facilities, beautiful location, excellent courses and novelty events made for a perfect combination.

There were many extremely talented traditional shooters putting their skills on display over the two days of shooting, alongside some that were not quite as impressive!  The 3D rounds set amongst the creeks and rainforest were brilliantly arranged, making for a very entertaining and challenging course.  The name of the game was fun, and it came in bucket loads as shooters took on novelty events such as the Popping Jay, Running Boar, Hunters Rounds and Clout Shooting.

A relaxed and festive vibe flowed throughout the weekend, with the archers showing a great interest in the huge trophy display put on by the Trophy Takers members.  Many local bowhunters from SE Queensland region popped in to catch up with mates old and new. 
The Saturday night awards presentation was the pinnacle of the weekend as always, with a good roll-up of members and visitors witnessing the presentation of our selection of impressive perpetual trophies and the traditional raffle, which is always a very entertaining affair.

Trophy Takers immortal and traditional archery legend Manuel Agius was awarded Life Membership, the fourth person to reach this milestone for the club.  As a dedicated club member throughout it’s history, and Australian bowhunting original, Manuel was most deserving of this recognition.  It was an honour for all of us to witness the presentation, which in his usual form Manuel very humbly accepted.

Two new awards were introduced during the 2017 season – the Best New Member Award, and the Best Exotic Award.  The Best of Species trophies were handed out to some very deserving hunters who secured some exceptional animals during the season, including two new Number 1 rated animals – Mark Southwell’s fox at 10 12/16 DS and new member Darryl Bulger’s remarkable Fallow Buck of 276 4/8 DS, taking the number one position from a record that had stood for the previous 10 years.

Perhaps the most significant event of the weekend was the handing of the reins by long-serving Chairman Dave Whiting to Mark Southwell.  Dave has been a true leader over his 29 years as Chairman, and we at Trophy Takers have been blessed over that period of time to have a man of Dave’s calibre leading the way.

From the club’s formation, throughout thick and thin, and to the present day, Dave has been the lynchpin of the club.  Dave, we salute you and thank you for your leadership, wisdom and passion.

Ben Salleras.

 

2016-17 Perpetual Hunting Award

Boar Award:
35 Brett Burrell

Goat Award:
126 4/8 Mark Soulhwell

Red Deer Award:
254 1/8 Troy Dickinson

Rusa Deer Award:
209 1/8 James Lynch

Sambar Deer Award:
132 4/8 Jarrod Vyner

Chital Deer Award:
147 3/8 Allan Karaitian

Fox Award:
10 12/16 Mark Soulhwell

Banteng Award:
65 Allan Karaitian

Buffalo Award:
99 Allan Karaitiana

Feral Cat Award:
7 12/16 Steven Shorten

Bill Baker Memorial Best Overall Deer Award
Fallow 275 4/8 Darryl Bulger

Ian Fenton Traditional Award
Fallow 224 7/8, 193 6/8 Jack Spinks
Red 179 2/8, Red 161, Goat 110 2/8 Jeremy Kelly

Dalas Conway No.1 Listings:
Fallow 275 4/8 Darryl Bulger
Fox 10 12/16 Mark Soulhwell

Chairman’s Award
Boar 28, Fallow 230 5/8, 222 4/8, Fallow 212, Rusa 209 4/8 Mark Wills

Paul Wheller Memorial Junior Bowhunter Award
Goat 87 Tyson Warne

Small Game Award
Fox 10 12/16, 9 8/16, 9 7/16 Mark Southwell

Leny Smith Memorial Female Bowhunter Award
Fallow 127 4/8, Goat 95 4/8 Elissa Rosemond

Best New Member Award
Boar 32 4/8, 30 2/8, 30 2/8 Greg Hilton

Best Exotic Award
Sika 161 6/8, Sika 157 5/8, Whitetail Paul Southwell

Danny McMahon Legend Award
Dave Keable