Bozeman, Montana – At this past Sheep Show®, the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) presented several awards for service to conservation and mountain game hunting.
“The Sheep Show® raises millions of dollars for wild sheep conservation,” said Charlie Kelly, Board Chair of the Wild Sheep Foundation. “But we also recognize outstanding individuals and groups that do the good work on the ground, help advance our purpose to ‘put and keep wild sheep on the mountain’, and those admired for their efforts in safely and successfully guiding their clients on their adventures.”
This year’s awards and recipients include:
- The Gordon Eastman Grass Roots Award was presented to Jim Travis of the New Mexico Wild Sheep Foundation for more than four decades of grassroots leadership, mentorship, and unwavering service to wild sheep conservation.
- The Wild Sheep Biologist Wall of Fame Award was presented to Brett Wiedmann, the NDGF Department Big Game Management Biologist, for his commitment to sound biological management and sustainable hunting opportunities for North America’s wild sheep.
- The newly added Tommy Caruthers Outstanding Chapter and Affiliate Award was presented to the Texas Bighorn Society for sustained leadership in delivering one of North America’s most significant wild sheep translocation projects in the Franklin Mountains.
- The 2026 Chair’s Award, selected by WSF Chair Charlie Kelly, was presented to James Rinehart and Keith Newlon for the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society’s Rinehart-Newlon Water Catchment project in Arizona, recognizing the partnership that made the West Harcuvar Mountains water catchment project possible and benefited wild sheep in Arizona.
- WSF’s Outstanding Conservationist Award recognizes an individual for outstanding, exemplary, and long-term contributions to wild sheep conservation and management. The Award was given to Chris Barker with the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia for decades of leadership in science-based conservation that has strengthened wild sheep populations and inspired others to serve the resource.
- The Butch Townsend Youth Conservation Award was presented to Aria Magaro from Pennsylvania, for her early dedication to wildlife conservation
- This year’s Jack O'Connor Outdoor Writers’ Award was presented to William “Bill” Pastorek from British Columbia for the best published article about wild sheep, with special focus on hunting and/or conservation.
- An Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Aibat Muzbay, the Executive Director, Arlan Foundation, Kazakhstan , and Vice-Chair, Wild Sheep Partnership for Central Asia (WISPA-CA), for advancing wild sheep research, management, and restoration in Kazakhstan, including leadership in establishing the Wild Sheep Partnership for Central Asia. And Orynbassar Shaimukhanbetov, the CEO/President, Arlan Foundation, Kazakhstan, for his leadership in advancing wild sheep conservation in Kazakhstan and strengthening collaboration across Central Asia.
- A State/Provincial Statesmen Award was given to Minister Todd Loewen of Alberta, for his leadership in advancing Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep conservation in Alberta through sustainable use and innovative conservation funding.
- The Federal Statesmen Award was presented to Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs for leadership in conserving California bighorn sheep through sustainable use, innovative funding, and the development of future wildlife stewards.
- The 2026 G.C.F. Dalziel Outstanding Guide Award was given to Rod Collin for a deep commitment to high ethical standards and a consistent willingness to go the last mile to ensure a quality hunting experience.
- The Frank Golata Outstanding Outfitter Award was presented to GT Nunn, Frontier Outfitting of New Mexico for a career that has exemplified the honor and dignity of the proud profession of outfitting.
- Shelly Sayer (ID) was presented with the Artemis Outstanding Woman Conservationist Award, recognizing her as an outstanding WSF leader and mountain hunter whose long-standing commitment to bighorn sheep conservation, ethical fair-chase hunting, and sportsmen’s rights—along with her leadership as a businesswoman and volunteer—has made a lasting impact on conservation and inspired future generations of women.
- The Chris Klineburger Mountain Hunter Hall of Fame Award was presented to Darryl Hosker of British Columbia. This is WSF’s most prestigious hunting award and is reserved for those select few who are recognized as icons in the sheep-hunting and conservation community.
- The 2026 Conklin Award was presented to Jeff Demaske from Colorado. The Award, presented annually by the Conklin Foundation, recognizes the world’s most accomplished active hunters who pursue game in the most difficult terrain and conditions, abide by the highest standards of ethics and fair chase, and are strong participants in wildlife conservation.
“These heroes of wild sheep conservation and hunting deserve to be recognized. Their dedication and contributions this past year and over a lifetime have not gone unnoticed, nor will they be forgotten,” Kelly added.
The Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF), based in Bozeman, Mont., was founded in 1977 by sportsmen and other wild sheep conservationists. WSF is the premier advocate for wild sheep, having raised and expended more than $145 million, positively impacting these species through population and habitat enhancements, research and education, and conservation advocacy programs in North America, Europe, and Asia "To Put and Keep Wild Sheep On the Mountain”. In North America, these and other efforts have increased bighorn sheep populations from historic lows in the 1950s-60s of 25,000 to more than 85,000 today. WSF has a membership of more than 11,000 worldwide.
Tags: Sheep Show, Press Release