Contest Winners
The 2023 Celebrate Utah Wildlife Contest opened for submissions March 10th and closed May 10th, 2023. Our panel of 24 judges reviewed and scored 979 entries across seven different art form categories and three age groups: Children, teens and adults.
We are pleased to announce the winning entries here. Winners will be notified individually and checks will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes in each category. (We'll be adding links to the winning entries shortly; stay tuned!
Videography
Children: Ages 4-11
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First Place: Ryan Pitt, Cache County, age 11, A Flowers Life
Second Place: David Beard, Weber County, age 9, Lovely Flaming Gorge
Teens: Ages 12-17
First Place: Marlee Mathews, Salt Lake County, age 13, Fishing with Dad
Second Place: Josie Kelly, Daggett County, age 17, Bats are Cool
Third Place: Olivia Bagley, Utah County, age 15, Flight
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Adults: Ages 18+
First Place: Allen Jorgensen, Davis County, age 32, Spring Hatch
Second Place: Denise Peterson, Salt Lake County, age 40, Mother of Lions
Third Place: Sarah Chafe, Utah County, age 32, Utah my Home
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Honorable Mention: Chrissy Shammas, Salt Lake City, age 27, Morning with Mountain Goats
Honorable Mention: Scott Henderson, Utah County, age 43, Steamy Urban Fox
Writing
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Children: Ages 4-11
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First Place: Akira Tera, Salt Lake County, age 9, Wildlife and its Food Chain
Second Place: Hannah Lawrence, Utah County, age 10, Be Kind to the Animals
Third Place: Oaklee Brunson, Utah County, age 11, Junipers
Honorable Mention: Oaklee Brunson, Utah County, age 11, Trees and Humans Alike
Honorable Mention: Callie Blanchard, Weber County, age 9, Deer
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Teens: Ages 12-17
First Place: Hannah Noyes, Washington County, age 13, Camping with the Wildlife
Second Place: Kendra Bradford, Salt Lake County, age 17, Call of the Avians
Third Place: Josie Kelly, Daggett County, age 16, Adventures with Dad
Honorable Mention: Abigail Powell, Sanpete County, age 15, The Lonely, Perfect World
Honorable Mention: Hutson Robinson, Rich County, age 13, The Uintas
Honorable Mention: Josie Kelly, Daggett County, age 16, Dry Fly or Die
Adults: Ages 18 years +
First Place: Jazmin Lister, Utah County, age 30, Hiking Near Yankee Meadow In The Winter
Second Place: Clem Flowers, Utah County, age 34, 5 for the Beehive
Third Place: Robert Williamson, Weber County, age 64, Another Trout to Catch
Honorable Mention: Adrian Anderson, Davis County, age 45, Eagle on Top
Honorable Mention: Chelsea Lawrence, Utah County, age 38, Memorable Firsts
Honorable Mention: Kalea Acuna, Weber County, age 22, The Does Came Home
Handmade Art
Children: Ages 4-11
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First Place: Hannah Lawrence, Utah County, age 10, “A Little Magic”
Second Place: Mason Lyman, Utah County, age 11, “Utah Roundmouth Snail”
Third Place: McKenzie Ware, Utah County, age 10, “Goose in the Tulips”
Honorable Mention: Tyson French, Cache County, age 4, “Ducks”
Teens: Ages 12-17
First Place: Aiden Davis, Salt Lake County, age 17, ‘Lake Blanche Part I”
Second Place: Emma Lewis, Salt Lake County, age 15, “Doe in the Brush”
Third Place: Glade Western, Millard County, age 16, “Massive Mule Deer Model”
Honorable Mention: Shannon Ford, San Juan County, age 16, “A Spiral of Spawning Kokanee Salmon
Adults: Ages 18+
First Place: Paul Twitchell, Utah County, age 72, “Dry Fork Builder”
Second Place: Harmony Ferrill, Davis County, age 39, “Future Best Friend”
Third Place: Ed Barlow, Iron County, age 21, “ Monster Muley”
Honorable Mention: Brad Timothy, Davis County, age ,”Osprey Snatches Cuttthroat”
Honorable Mention: Holly Tufts, Salt Lake County, age 68, “Brown Trout”
Music/Sound
Children: Ages 4-11
First Place: Benny Lister, Utah County, age 9, “Prairie Dogs Digging”
Second Place: Azuriann Lister, Utah County, age 6, “The Badger Song”
Teens: Ages 12-17
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First Place: Josie Kelly, Daggett County, age 17, “ Born to Fish”
Adults: Ages 18+
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First Place: George Eppel, Utah County, age 22, The June Sucker Ballad
Second Place: Jason Fullmer, Utah County, age 36, Petrichor
Third Place: Allyson Moody, Salt Lake County, age 36, Return of the Birds”
Honorable Mention: Eleanor Smith, Utah County, age 20, Cycling
Honorable Mention: Reed Bie, Utah County, age 26, Sand Sea Shanty
Honorable Mention: Jaren Hutchinson, Box Elder County, age 25, Cow Call Comrades
Digital Art
Children: Ages 4-11
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First Place: Eleanor Droitsch, Utah County, Age 10, “Blue Builders”
Second Place: Camille Christensen, Davis County, age 10, “Rocky Mountain Elk in 3D”
Third Place: Henry Boss, Salt Lake County, age 11, “Mountain Lion”
Honorable Mention: Camille Dalley, San Juan County, age 11, “The Amazing American Goldfinch”
Honorable Mention: Seth Jacobsen, Salt Lake County, age 9, “Deer”
Teens: Ages 12-17
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First Place: Josephine Goss, Salt Lake County, age 13, “Fall at Silver Lake”
Second Place: London Baker, Salt Lake County, age 16, “ Golden Hour”
Third Place: Rachel McDonald, Millard County, age 1 . “ The Beauty of Utah”
Honorable Mention: Elias Northrop, Utah County, age 15, “Rainbow Deer”
Honorable Mention: Welch, San Juan County, age 14, “ Deer in the Wilderness”
Adults: Ages 18+
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First Place: Eliza Anderson, Utah County, age 23, “ Thunder Run”
Second Place: Kate Olsen, Utah County, age 22, The Eagle and the Hawk”
Third Place: Ella Davis, Salt Lake County, age 22, “Growing Desert”
Honorable Mention: Hayden Cook, Utah County, age 29, “Cutthroat Trout-Natives of the West”
Honorable Mention: Kate Olsen, Utah County, age 22, “State Bird” & "Bison"
Digital Storytelling
Adult: Ages 18+
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First Place: Ryan Kelly, Daggett County, Age 46, “Baby I Was Born To Fish”
Second Place: Reed Bie, Utah County, Age 26, “Sea of Sand Shanty”
Third Place: Thomas Osimitz, Summit County, Age 66, “Singing Rock”
Honorable Mention: Jed Matthews, Salt Lake County, Age 50 “ The North Willow Incident”
Photography
Children: Ages 4-11
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First Place: Delilah Olson, Salt Lake County, age 10, Ahhh Did you Hear That
Second Place: Kennedy Samuelson, Salt Lake County, age 9, Owl
Third Place: Paislee Donio, Utah County, age 4, Family Drive In
Honorable Mention: Logan Moody, Salt Lake County, age 11, Blue Jay
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Teens: Ages 12-17
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First Place: Asher Lee, Utah County, age 15, Eared Grebes at Sunset
Second Place: Chloe Tobler, Utah County, age 17, Play Time
Third Place: Colt Waters, Utah County, 13, Porcupine Breakfast
Honorable Mention: Jacob Christensen, Sanpete County, age 16, Nebo Mountain Goat
Honorable Mention: Max Jossie, Cache County, age 15, Great Horned Owl
Adults: Ages 18+
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First Place: Sean Hoover, Salt Lake County, age 52, Adoration
Second Place: Jesse Thomas, Salt Lake County, age 63, Bald Eagles Fight
Third Place: Spencer Free,Utah County, age 23, Mountain Goat Family
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Honorable Mention: Lynn Shinney, Utah County, age 65, Zions Desert Bighorn
Honorable Mention: Jess Thomas, Salt Lake County, age 63, Barn Owl Wink
Honorable Mention: Ryan Kelly, Daggett County, age 45, Cluster Eater