Local taxidermist wins Master of Masters

APLINGTON – In most circles of life there are different levels of accomplishment. There are beginners, amatuers, professionals and even champions. Eventually there is a point where one is known as a master of their craft. And from there ...

Aplington taxidermist Greg Cuvelier reached that next, final level recently when a piece of his work placed first in the Master of Masters competition at the annual Iowa Taxidermy Association competition in Marshalltown.

Cuvelier said the award was put together to honor one of the top taxidermists in the world, Iowan Joe Meder.

“He's one of the best taxidermists there is so they contacted him and wanted to know what he would think of they put together a Joe Meder Master of Masters Award,” Cuvelier said.

Just to qualify to enter the competition a taxidermist must have been either a world, North American, pr national champion or a competition judge. Each of the nine competitors in this year's competition had been either a world or North American champion. Competition was in four areas: deer head, life sized mammel, fish and reptiles and birds. The winners of each competitive area then competed for the overall Master of Masters Award. Cuvelier, who's mount of a racoon at a campfire won the life sized mammel division, tied a Wisconsin competitor for first place overall.

For more of this story see the June 29 Eclipse News-Review.