World Championships

43rd Annual Ward World Championship
Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival
Roland E. Powell Convention Center
Ocean City, MD

April 26, 27 & 28, 2013

With more than 550 competitors entering more than 1200 carvings, the 43rd Annual Ward World Championship was by all accounts, a great success. The competition continues to attract the top wildfowl carvers from around the globe. Lynn Branson, of Courtenay, BC, Canada joined an elite group as a back to back winner in the World Interpretive division with her piece, The Burl That Wanted to be a Bittern.  Repeat World Champions include Decorative Life-size Wildfowl winner Keith Mueller, Decorative Miniature Wildfowl winner Pat Godin, Decorative Life-size Floating Pairs winner Wayne Simkin and Tom Christie winning the World Shootin’ Rig.

The Ward Museum was privileged to introduce the carving community to a new award at this year’s World Championship.  The Living Legends award has been created to honor those who have been long time advocates for wildfowl art and the Ward Museum, generous in spirit and commitment to teaching others and passing on their knowledge, skills and individual talents and have created an impact on the field of wildfowl art and/or the Ward World Championship.  Inaugural recipients of the Living Legends award included Robert “Bob” Guge, of Sleepy Hollow, IL, Ernest “Ernie” Muehlmatt of Salisbury, MD and Delbert “Cigar” Daisey of Chincoteague, VA.

The international appeal of the World Championship remains strong as competitors from across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and Japan continue to flock to Ocean City to attend classes taught by the world’s best wildfowl carvers and compete for top honors.

The Ward World Championship stands as a testament to the hard work and commitment of the volunteers and carvers who return each year with the intent of continuing the traditions of wildfowl carving.

Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2013 Ward World Championship!

Please be sure to join us next year for the 44th Annual Ward World Championship, to be held April 25-27, 2014.