Competitions | NZDA Wellington Branch

Wellington Branch Competitions

Each year at the September club night we hold the annual Branch competition, including Antler, Horn & Tusk (AHT) Comp, photographic, film, and literature. The annual prize-giving is held at the December club night. Note that the NZDA National level competitions are held each year at NZDA Conference in July. Refer to the NZDA website for terms and conditions.

Competition Shooting Awards

Tse Trophy - 5 shots prone at 200 metres, centrefire rifles at a deer silhouette.

Literary Competition

Hugh Mattheus Literary Award - for the best written piece by a member of the Wellington Branch over the previous year. Submit your stories, including those published in magazines.

Video Competition

Jim Jones Memorial Cup - for the best non-professional film between 10-20mins in length. Content must meet NZDA standards.

Photographic Awards

Five competition categories, with NZDA Certificates for 1st, 2nd & 3rd in each category. Winners are chosen by popular vote at the September club night:

Game Trophies (i.e hunter with quarry, etc)
Live Big Game Animals
Live Wildlife (other than big game animals)
Scenic in Stalking Country
Outdoor, Artistic, Abstract or Flora

Antler, Horn and Tusk Trophies

NZDA Certificates for 1st, 2nd, 3rd for each New Zealand big game species. First place receives a trophy with their name engraved.

L.O.H. Tripp Memorial Trophy

Any deer species. Antlered game shot anywhere in New Zealand (discretionary)

John Savage Trophy

Any deer species. North Island Antlered Game

South Island Antlered Head

Any deer species. Antlered head shot in the South Island and Stewart Island

Royal Cup for Antlered Trophies

Any deer species. Biggest “Symmetrical” and “Typical” head

Kevin Brown Trophy

Any big game species. Awarded to a person over the age of 60 years (discretionary)

Alex Sutherland Ngaipu Trophy

Red Deer (discretionary)

Lawrence Shield
North Island Red Deer taken south of Manawatu Gorge

Mount Cook Trophy
Best Tahr

Chamois Trophy
Best Chamois

Bukholt Trophy
Best Goat

Best Horned Game Animal

Tahr, chamois or goat. Best horned animal shot anywhere in New Zealand

Wilkinson Trophy
Undrawn and in a full jaw pig tusks

Best Sika Head
Best Overall Sika

Sika Trophy
Best Typical Sika

Cottrill Trophy

Best Fallow

Ladies Trophy

Any big game species. Best head shot by a woman

First Big Game Animal
Any big game animal (includes females).Novice award for the best first big game animal taken by a member.

NZDA's 'Fair Chase Rules' apply to all competition entries

Fair Chase Definition: Fair Chase is the ethical, legal and sportsman-like taking of any free-ranging feral animal that has an unimpeded avenue of escape on both private and public lands.

Eligibility for Competitions in relation to Fair Chase, entries will not be eligible if:

a fee has been paid; or
taken by any of the following methods or scenarios:
- in an enclosed area i.e., behind deer wire or any such fence or fixture that impedes the animal’s unrestricted chance of escape
- restrained i.e. snare, trap, fence, etc
- with the aid of a spotlight, night vision or heat detection equipment
- from an aircraft, powered vehicle or vessel
- coursed by dogs, with the exception of wild pigs

The trophy: Is of a feral game animal taken legally under Fair Chase conditions as defined above.