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Contest Winners

The 2023 Celebrate Utah Wildlife Contest opened for submissions March 10th  and closed  May 10th, 2023. Our panel of 24  judges reviewed and scored 979 entries across seven different art form categories and three age groups: Children, teens and adults.

We are pleased to announce the winning entries here. Winners will be notified individually and checks will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes in each category. (We'll be adding links to the winning entries shortly; stay tuned!

Videography

Children: Ages 4-11

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            First Place:                  Ryan Pitt, Cache County, age 11, A Flowers Life

            Second Place:            David Beard, Weber County, age 9, Lovely Flaming Gorge

 

Teens: Ages 12-17

 

            First Place:                  Marlee Mathews, Salt Lake County, age 13, Fishing with Dad

            Second Place:            Josie Kelly, Daggett County, age 17, Bats are Cool

            Third Place:                Olivia Bagley, Utah County, age 15, Flight

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Adults: Ages 18+

    

            First Place:                  Allen Jorgensen, Davis County, age 32, Spring Hatch

            Second Place:            Denise Peterson, Salt Lake County, age 40, Mother of Lions

            Third Place:                 Sarah Chafe, Utah County, age 32, Utah my Home

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            Honorable Mention:    Chrissy Shammas, Salt Lake City, age 27, Morning with Mountain Goats                                     

            Honorable Mention:    Scott Henderson, Utah County, age 43, Steamy Urban Fox

Writing

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Children: Ages 4-11

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            First Place:                  Akira Tera, Salt Lake County, age 9, Wildlife and its Food Chain

            Second Place:            Hannah Lawrence, Utah County, age 10, Be Kind to the Animals

            Third Place:                Oaklee Brunson, Utah County, age 11, Junipers

           

            Honorable Mention:    Oaklee Brunson, Utah County, age 11, Trees and Humans Alike

            Honorable Mention:    Callie Blanchard, Weber County, age 9, Deer

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Teens: Ages 12-17

 

            First Place:                  Hannah Noyes, Washington County, age 13, Camping with the Wildlife

            Second Place:            Kendra Bradford, Salt Lake County, age 17, Call of the Avians

            Third Place:                Josie Kelly, Daggett County, age 16, Adventures with Dad

           

            Honorable Mention:    Abigail Powell, Sanpete County, age 15, The Lonely, Perfect World

            Honorable Mention:    Hutson Robinson, Rich County, age 13, The Uintas

            Honorable Mention:    Josie Kelly, Daggett County, age 16, Dry Fly or Die

 

Adults: Ages 18 years +

 

            First Place:                  Jazmin Lister, Utah County, age 30, Hiking Near Yankee Meadow In The Winter                                 

            Second Place:            Clem Flowers, Utah County, age 34, 5 for the Beehive

            Third Place:                Robert Williamson, Weber County, age 64, Another Trout to Catch

           

            Honorable Mention:    Adrian Anderson, Davis County, age 45, Eagle on Top

            Honorable Mention:    Chelsea Lawrence, Utah County, age 38, Memorable Firsts

            Honorable Mention:    Kalea Acuna, Weber County, age 22, The Does Came Home

Handmade Art

Children: Ages 4-11

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            First Place:                  Hannah Lawrence, Utah County, age 10, “A Little Magic”

            Second Place:            Mason Lyman, Utah County, age 11, “Utah Roundmouth Snail”

            Third Place:                McKenzie Ware, Utah County, age 10, “Goose in the Tulips”

           

            Honorable Mention:    Tyson French, Cache County, age 4, “Ducks”

 

Teens: Ages 12-17

 

            First Place:                  Aiden Davis, Salt Lake County, age 17, ‘Lake Blanche Part I”

            Second Place:            Emma Lewis, Salt Lake County, age 15, “Doe in the Brush”

            Third Place:                Glade Western, Millard County, age 16,  “Massive Mule Deer Model”

   

            Honorable Mention:    Shannon Ford, San Juan County, age 16, “A Spiral of Spawning   Kokanee Salmon

                                             

Adults: Ages 18+

           

             First Place:                  Paul Twitchell, Utah County, age 72, “Dry Fork Builder”

            Second Place:            Harmony Ferrill, Davis County, age 39, “Future Best Friend”

            Third Place:                Ed Barlow, Iron County, age 21, “ Monster Muley”

           

            Honorable Mention:    Brad Timothy, Davis County, age     ,”Osprey Snatches Cuttthroat”

            Honorable Mention:    Holly Tufts, Salt Lake County, age 68,  “Brown Trout”

Music/Sound

Children: Ages 4-11

           

             First Place:                  Benny Lister, Utah County, age 9, “Prairie Dogs Digging”   

            Second Place:            Azuriann Lister, Utah County, age 6, “The Badger Song”

 

Teens: Ages 12-17

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            First Place:                  Josie Kelly, Daggett County, age 17, “ Born to Fish”

 

Adults: Ages 18+

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            First Place:                  George Eppel, Utah County, age 22, The June Sucker Ballad

            Second Place:            Jason Fullmer, Utah County, age 36, Petrichor

            Third Place:                Allyson Moody, Salt Lake County, age 36,  Return of the Birds”

           

            Honorable Mention:    Eleanor Smith, Utah County, age 20, Cycling

            Honorable Mention:    Reed Bie, Utah County, age 26, Sand Sea Shanty

            Honorable Mention:    Jaren Hutchinson, Box Elder County, age 25, Cow Call Comrades

Digital Art

Children: Ages 4-11

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            First Place:                  Eleanor Droitsch, Utah County, Age 10, “Blue Builders”

            Second Place:            Camille Christensen, Davis County, age 10, “Rocky Mountain Elk in 3D”

            Third Place:                Henry Boss, Salt Lake County, age 11, “Mountain Lion”

           

            Honorable Mention:    Camille Dalley, San Juan County, age 11, “The Amazing American Goldfinch”

            Honorable Mention:    Seth Jacobsen, Salt Lake County, age 9, “Deer”

 

Teens: Ages 12-17

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            First Place:                  Josephine Goss, Salt Lake County, age 13, “Fall at Silver Lake”

            Second Place:            London Baker, Salt Lake County, age 16, “ Golden Hour”

            Third Place:                Rachel McDonald, Millard County, age 1 . “ The Beauty of Utah”

           

            Honorable Mention:    Elias Northrop, Utah County, age 15, “Rainbow Deer”

            Honorable Mention:    Welch, San Juan County, age 14, “ Deer in the Wilderness”

 

Adults: Ages 18+

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            First Place:                  Eliza Anderson, Utah County, age 23, “ Thunder Run”

            Second Place:            Kate Olsen, Utah County, age 22, The Eagle and the Hawk”

            Third Place:                Ella Davis, Salt Lake County, age 22, “Growing Desert”

           

            Honorable Mention:    Hayden Cook, Utah County, age 29, “Cutthroat Trout-Natives of the West”

            Honorable Mention:    Kate Olsen, Utah County, age 22, “State Bird” & "Bison"

          

Digital Storytelling

Adult: Ages 18+

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            First Place:                  Ryan Kelly, Daggett County, Age 46, “Baby I Was Born To Fish”

            Second Place:            Reed Bie, Utah County, Age 26, “Sea of Sand Shanty”

            Third Place:                Thomas Osimitz, Summit County, Age 66, “Singing Rock”

           

             Honorable Mention:    Jed Matthews, Salt Lake County, Age 50 “ The North Willow Incident”

Photography

Children: Ages 4-11

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            First Place:                  Delilah Olson, Salt Lake County, age 10, Ahhh Did you Hear That

            Second Place:            Kennedy Samuelson, Salt Lake County, age 9, Owl

            Third Place:                Paislee Donio, Utah County, age 4, Family Drive In

           

            Honorable Mention:    Logan Moody, Salt Lake County, age 11, Blue Jay

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Teens: Ages 12-17

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            First Place:                  Asher Lee, Utah County, age 15, Eared Grebes at Sunset

            Second Place:            Chloe Tobler, Utah County, age 17, Play Time

            Third Place:                Colt Waters, Utah County, 13, Porcupine Breakfast

           

            Honorable Mention:    Jacob Christensen, Sanpete County, age 16, Nebo Mountain Goat

            Honorable Mention:    Max Jossie, Cache County, age 15, Great Horned Owl

 

Adults: Ages 18+

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            First Place:                  Sean Hoover, Salt Lake County, age 52, Adoration

            Second Place:            Jesse Thomas, Salt Lake County, age 63, Bald Eagles Fight

            Third Place:                Spencer Free,Utah County, age 23, Mountain Goat Family

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            Honorable Mention:    Lynn Shinney, Utah County, age 65, Zions Desert Bighorn

            Honorable Mention:    Jess Thomas, Salt Lake County, age 63, Barn Owl Wink

            Honorable Mention:    Ryan Kelly, Daggett County, age 45, Cluster Eater

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