03/05/2010
Charleston Father and Son Impress at Turkey Calling Championships
EDGEFIELD, S.C. — Jim Pollard's focus, talent and practice paid off when he placed second in the Senior Division at the Wild Turkey Bourbon/NWTF Grand National Turkey Calling Championships in Nashville, Tenn.
Not to be outdone by his dad, Jimmy Pollard also finished a strong second in the Mossy Oak Brand Camo and Ol' Tom Intermediate Division for callers ages 16 to 20.
The competitions took place during the National Wild Turkey Federation's 34th annual National Convention and Sport Show, held Feb. 18 to Feb. 21, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.
Hailing from Charleston, Ark., the pair of Pollards have proven that the apple doesn't fall... or in this case, the turkey doesn't roost far from the tree. The elder Pollard is a four-time winner in the Senior Division, turkey calling's divison for elite callers aged 21 and up. Jimmy won the Junior Division title in 2008.
Every February, callers from all over the nation flock to the NWTF's National Convention and Sport Show to compete in the championships. This year's convention, sponsored by MidwayUSA, had more than $25,000 in cash and prizes going to the top callers in nine divisions. Seats filled up with onlookers anxious to see and hear the terrific turkey talkers.
In the Senior and Intermediate divisions, callers are asked to perform a series of calls that imitate a single wild turkey hen. Some of these calls include the yelp, cluck and purr, kee kee run and tree call. A panel of seven expert judges score each call and the slightest mistake can virtually eliminate a caller from contention.
"Winning a title at the Grand National Turkey Calling Championships is like reaching the summit of a mountain. There is no higher place among the turkey calling's elite," said George Thornton, NWTF CEO. "The atmosphere in the room during the trophy presentation is electric. Raising the first-place trophy at these contests means that you have beaten the best callers in the world."
Each year, thousands of outdoor enthusiasts and NWTF supporters rally at the NWTF National Convention and Sport Show. The event features the Grand National Calling Championships, seminars from hunting pros, more than 550 vendor booths, top entertainers at evening functions and more.
The NWTF is a nonprofit conservation organization that works daily to further its mission of conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.
Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.
For more information about the NWTF visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.
2010 Convention Sponsors: Affinity4, ATK/Federal Premium Ammunition, Bank of America, Bass Pro Shops, Benelli, Browning, Call Makers and Collectors Association of America, CamoFX, Chevrolet, Farm Service Agency, Foxy Huntress, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, HuntVe, Knight Rifles, Leupold & Stevens, Marlin Firearms Company, MeadWestvaco, MidwayUSA, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, National Band & Tag Co., O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Mossy Oak and The Pursuit Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Remington Arms Company, Inc., SHE Outdoor Apparel, TriStar Sporting Arms, USDA Forest Service, Weatherby, Inc., Wild Turkey Bourbon, Winchester Division/Olin Corp.
