The Taxidermy Hall of Fame is proud to introduce the inductees for the class of 2023. These inductees were announced during the Saturday night Awards Banquet in Killeen, Texas on June 24, 2023 during the Texas Taxidermy Association convention. The induction ceremony was held on July 22, 2023 during the National Taxidermists Association convention in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
In the Spring of 2020 the THOF decided to separate inductees into two categories. Historical, whose major contributions were 50 years before his or her nomination date and Contemporary whose contributions were more recent. Inductions years are on odd numbered years. For 2023 there were two elected contemporary nominees, Rod Connelly of Pennsylvania and Rodney Schreurs of Wisconsin. The two elected historical nominees were Will Richard of California and Jane Catharine Tost of Australia.
Contemporary Hall of Fame Inductees
Rod Connelly
Date of Birth: August 18, 1937
Place of Birth: Clinton, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: July 5, 2021
Roderick “Rod” Francis Connelly’s contributions to the Taxidermy Trade was recognized by many leading taxidermists and industry professionals throughout his career. Whether he was hunting, fishing, his enthusiasm for nature and conservation was his lifetime ambition. He was innovative and talented in all phases of taxidermy, pioneering freeze-dry techniques, and winning many awards at the Pennsylvania competition, NTA, and World Taxidermy Championships. Some of his numerous awards include: Best of Show, People’s Choice, Master of Masters, McKenzie Distinguished Service Award (2009), PTA Taxidermist of the Year Award (1992) and the NTA Award of Excellence. His taxidermy was highly respected and he served as a judge at many state and national competitions, and the World Taxidermy Championships®.
He was a founding member of the Pennsylvania Taxidermists Association, serving on its board for many years, including the offices of vice-president and president. He served on the board of the National Taxidermists Hall of Fame Foundation (now called the Taxidermy Hall of Fame), and was instrumental in advancing the organization for several decades.
Visit Rod Connelly’s biography page to learn more about his remarkable accomlishments.
Rodney Schreurs
Nominee: Rodney W. Schreurs
Date of birth: December 28, 1954
Place of birth: Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Current Location: Cedar Gove, Wisconsin
Rodney Schreurs was born in 1954 into a family of six children in the city of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In the 1980s, he started competing at his state show. After perfecting new techniques for molding and casting, he decided to enter his first World Taxidermy Championships in 1997.
The subject for his first World Show piece would be an Opossum. He decided to display the Opossum with an ultra-realistic open mouth in the process of raiding a duck nest. After countless hours working on his piece, his gamble paid off tremendously. He won his first two gold medallions at the 1997 World Championships, Best in World Lifesize Mammal and Judge’s Choice Best of Show. The piece also took home People’s Choice Best of Show. This entry raised the bar for ultra realistic open mouths, which still continues even to this day.
Over the next twenty two years, he went on to collect seven more Best in World Titles and eight more gold medallions utilizing subjects that were less mainstream that most competitors. Of his World Titles, four have come in different categories and he has accomplished every Best in World title with a difference species, a staggering accomplishment that may never be eclipsed.
Many years ago he set a personal milestone to reach ten World Taxidermy Championship gold medallions. He realized this dream at the World Championships in 2019, when he won his eighth Best in World gold medallion and his tenth overall gold, which placed him at the top of the all-time list. (With a spotted salamander).
Some of his other major awards include thirteen Judges’ Choice Best of Shows, over a dozen People’s Choice Best of Shows, five WASCO awards, nine North American Championships was named the NTA Taxidermist of the Year in 2018.
He has been a judge, seminar instructor and as brought innovation to the industry; expanding the vision of what many taxidermists thought was possible.
Visit Rodney Schreurs’ biography page to learn more about his impressive accomplishments.
Historical Hall of Fame Inductees
Will Richard
Date of Birth: February 24, 1876
Place of Birth: Enosburg Falls, Vermont
Date of Death: August 10, 1971
Burial Place: Paradise, California
Will Richard was an amazingly talented naturalist, artist and taxidermist whose larger-than-life accomplishments spanned the 19th and 20th centuries. Born in Vermont in 1876, he taught himself taxidermy at age 12 by experimenting on birds and animals from his family farm. He would sculpt forms in clay and wax, then mold them with burlap and plaster. He got so good at this technique that he was a hired as a taxidermist at age 19 at the New York State Museum in Albany starting at $3.00 a day.
Over the next few years, he replaced the entire state museum collection with his own work, working alongside taxidermy Hall of Famer James L. Clark. Many of his mounts from 125 years ago are still on display.
In 1906 he moved to Cody, Wyoming and opened the Cody Museum and Taxidermy Shop. His clients included President Theodore Roosevelt and William F Buffalo Bill Cody as well as other luminaries. In order to study animals in their natural habitat, he became an avid hunter and fisherman, traveling the world to further his craft. He even acted in silent movies in the 1920s.
His talents also included painting, writing, sculpting and studying animal behavior and anatomy. He operated his successful business for nearly 50 years, retiring in 1952. Until his death in 1971, he continued to pursue art and taxidermy for pleasure, as well as generous community involvement.
Visit Will Richard’s biography page to learn more.
Jane Catharine Tost
Nominee: Jane Catharine Tost
Date of birth: March 16, 1817
Date of death: April 24, 1899
Place of birth: London, England
Burial place: Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney Australia
Jane Catharine Tost (c.1817-1889), Jane Catherine Tost, was born into the prominent English family Herbert and Catherine Ward, a name synonymous with English taxidermy. The Wards had bred and stuffed birds for English gentleman collectors in the early 1800’s and had an established reputation. Jane along with her two brothers Edwin Henry (1812-1878) and Frederick were trained by their parents Herbert and Catherine, and eventually would work for such famous naturalists such as John Gould and John James Audubon.
Jane Tost’s nephew Rowland Ward, was to later became internationally renowned for his big game taxidermy methods as The Wards of London and his “Wardian” animal furniture. Jane Tost moved to Australia where her remarkable her taxidermy skills, industry and business acumen, blazed a path for women.
Visit Jane Tost’s biography page to learn more.
