From the March/April 2015 issue of Sporting Classics, on newsstands March 4.
Sporting Classics’ 15th annual Awards of Excellence once again salute the best of the best—the companies and individuals whose products and services are having a significant and long-lasting impact on our sporting lives. The nominees were submitted by our senior and contributing editors, then finalized by the Sporting Classics staff.
The honorees were chosen for their achievements in defining what a great sporting product should be. Their engineering, craftsmanship, and innovations have set higher standards than ever before.
We’re proud to present the winners of the adventure and lifestyle categories.
Outstanding Craftsman
IRVING WHITT
Residing in Greenwood, South Carolina, in the backyard of legendary turkey call master Neil Cost, Irving Whitt could easily have remained transfixed in Cost’s shadow, as have many other contemporary call-makers.
With uncompromising resolve, however, Whitt sought and made his own place in the sun. Blessed since boyhood with extraordinary talents for drawing, painting, carving, and artistic perception, he developed unique designs and then strove “to put the turkey in them.” When the Mountain bowed to Mohammed, and Cost asked him to build a personal call, he knew he had to respond.
Today, IHW Calls—boxes, trumpets, scratch calls, wingbones, et al—greatly esteemed for their signature style, beauty, quality, and sound, are among the most highly venerated calls in the nation by collectors and hunters alike. At the lofty heights of top hand-carved, decorative call mastery, such as his Classic Carved Box, Whitt reigns as the only maker capable of building authentic turkey palaver into every one of his creations. Likely, his artistry has yet to be fully tested. —Mike Gaddis
Clothing
HOLLAND & HOLLAND
SIGNATURE TWEED COLLECTION
Developed in 2010, the Signature Tweed line has become a staple in Holland & Holland’s collection of exquisite, handcrafted clothing. The toffee-colored check is woven in England and features a Nanobloc finish that is both showerproof and stain resistant.
The Half Norfolk Shooting Jacket is based on the exact design of a jacket worn by one of the company’s founders, Henry Holland. It’s designed with a sports coat front with notched lapels and a technical back with a center vent, half belt, and action pleats.
The Tweed Field Coat also has a Nanobloc finish along with a breathable membrane to ensure comfort in all types of weather. It features storm cuffs and a neck tab, handmade frontal two-way zip with H&H engraved pullers, and pivot sleeves so the wearer can raise his arms easily to shoot.
The Tweed Shooting vest features alcantara shoulder pads for a luxurious feel and a recoil pad with fittings for either right- and left-handed shooters. The vest is made in England from 100 percent pure new wool.
Fishing
HOBIE CAT MIRAGE PRO ANGLER
Since 1950 Hobie has been in the business of shaping a unique lifestyle based around fun, water, and innovative, high-quality products. From its headquarters in Oceanside, California, Hobie Cat Company manufactures, distributes, and markets an impressive collection of eco-sensitive watercraft worldwide. These products include an ever-expanding line of recreation and racing sailboats, pedal-driven and paddle sit-on-top recreation and fishing kayaks, inflatable kayaks, fishing boats, and stand-up paddleboards, plus a complementary array of parts and accessories.
Hobie’s newest fishing machine, introduced in the fall of 2014, is the Mirage Pro Angler 17T, a human-powered, 17-foot boat offered in three configurations: traditional tandem seating, face-to-face social seating, or solo with plenty of space for standing, casting, and fly fishing in comfort. Features include Hobie’s patented MirageDrive pedal system, Vantage XT seating, patent-pending H-Rail System for customizing accessories, a tracking skeg for covering long distances. and a battery platform for an optional trolling motor.
Fishing Lodge
TROPIC STAR LODGE
For more than a half-century Tropic Star Lodge has provided the ultimate in offshore and inshore fishing adventures for its guests. Located 150 miles southeast of Panama City in the pristine, remote Darien Jungle along the Pacific Coast, Tropic Star Lodge has more saltwater world records than any other resort. With its big fleet of 16 classic 31-foot Bertrams, the lodge staff and its anglers can pursue a vast variety of treasured species including blue and black marlin, sailfish and monster tuna, dorado and Cubera snapper.
Amazing fishing. Unparalleled service. Top-rate staff—all come together at Tropic Star Lodge.
Hunting Lodge
HIGHLAND HILLS RANCH
Located in north-central Oregon, Highland Hills Ranch is committed to providing its guests with exceptional wingshooting and unsurpassed service and hospitality. That commitment has been recognized not only by Sporting Classics, but also Orvis and Beretta. Highland Hills is one of only 24 Orvis-endorsed lodges that have twice received the coveted Orvis Lodge of the Year award. Highland Hills has also been selected for Beretta’s prestigious Trident Lodge program.
Guests have the rare opportunity to hunt for the grand slam of wingshooting: pheasants, chukars, Hungarian partridge, and valley quail—all in the same day and where shooters are afforded spectacular views that stretch for a hundred miles in all directions. Situated on more than 3,000 acres of cropland, open range, and native grasslands, the ranch offers a variety flush-and-flight patterns in one hunt.
At the heart of the property is a grand 10,000-square-foot lodge where clients enjoy fine cuisine, exceptional service and five-star accommodations. The ranch also offers driven pheasant and hunting for trophy mule deer.
Sporting Art
ROSS PARKER & CALL OF
AFRICA GALLERIES
Few businesses deliver more inspiration to people across generations than fine art galleries. When it comes to purveying great contemporary wildlife and sporting art from Africa, no couple has worked harder to find the best emerging talent these past 30 years than Ross and Kirsten Parker, owners of Call of Africa’s Native Visions Galleries. The names speak for themselves: David Langmead, John Serrey-Lester, Jaco Van Schalkwyk, Kim Donaldson, Shirley Greene, Claire Naylor, James Stroud, Mopho Gonde, James Tandi, Peter Gray, Margaret Gradwell, Peter Stewart, and Tony Forrest. The list goes on.
The Parkers own two marquee galleries in Florida, one in Naples along the Gulf of Mexico and an elegant new space that just opened in Jupiter on the Atlantic Coast.
The Parkers treasure their personal relationships with collectors, and they are incredibly loyal to the renowned painters and sculptors they represent. They’ve also been an industry leader both in marketing artists and supporting conservation efforts that benefit iconic wildlife and habitat.
Since the first Call of Africa location opened in 1987, Ross Parker, a native Zimbabwean born in the former Rhodesia, has helped thousands of clients build customized personal collections with original art and affordable reproductions.
Start your art exploration at www.nativevisions.com, but remember, paying a personal visit to a Call of Africa gallery is like spending an afternoon at a museum. You will leave inspired. —Todd Wilkinson.
Sporting Heritage Award
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
One of America’s oldest conservation organizations, the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) was founded in 1911, a time when the future of many species of North American wildlife was uncertain. For more than a century WMI has deployed an independent cadre of biologists dedicated to the principles of scientific management in support of restoring America’s wildlife populations and their habitats.
Toward its goal of improved management of wildlife resources, WMI is involved in a wide range of issue policy, research, and educational efforts, including expert testimony before House and Senate Committees on virtually all major wildlife-related legislative matters. Key initiatives also include in-depth reviews of state, federal, and provincial wildlife agency programs and coordination of the Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance, the Hunting Heritage Program, the Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, and the acclaimed Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow Program. In addition, WMI is the sole private cooperator in the Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Program at more than 40 land-grant colleges and universities.
This year WMI will sponsor and administer its 100th assembly of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, the premier annual gathering of natural resource scientists, managers, administrators, and educators from throughout North America. This historic occasion, together with many decades of service in support of our hunting heritage, makes WMI an exceptionally well-deserving recipient of our Sporting Heritage Award. —Doug Painter
From the March/April 2015 issue of Sporting Classics, on newsstands March 4.