2025 Show
- The 2025 show will take place at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre.
- See what is happening for the show in 2025...
Antique Decoys
General guidelines
- Entries can be inspired by decoys from the past but must be the carvers interpretation of an "old" decoy.
- Decoys should be made to look old by the manner in which they are carved and finished.
- Decoys should be functional, durable and able to withstand the hard use of hunting.
- The decoy must be "antique" in style and appearance.
- The decoys will not be floated.
Entries will be grouped into three classes:-
- All Ducks
- All Geese, Swans and Confidence Decoys
- All Shorebirds
Ribbons
There are best of show awards for all skill levels combined for the three categories.
Awards
Ribbons will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each Category, and medallions for Best of Division. Large rossettes and cash are awarded for Best of Show by skill level for the four main Sections of the Show: Wildfowl, Fish & Wildlife, Traditional Carving and Woodworking.
Brochure Printing
The brochure provides more details on awards and category definitions
In case of any discrepancy between the show brochure and the website, the competition rules in the current brochure will apply.
Print/View the Brochure Print/View
Cocktail Carvings
The Cocktail Competition will be composed of three categories:-
- Land - all terrestrial creatures
- Water - any creature that spends most of its life in water
- Air - any creature that is capable of flying
- There are NO skill levels - Carvers from all skill levels will compete against each other in each of the 3 categories.
- Bodies including head and tail to be no larger than four inches, in any direction.
- Habitat is not included in the four inch rule.
- You may enter any species you wish.
- No restrictions on detailed painting or texturing.
- Habitat allowed and encouraged.
- Decoys do not have to float.
NOTE
A condition of entry in the Cocktail Class is that your entry will be sold in the auction. The carver will receive 50% of the winning bid.
Divisions and categories
New to competitons and need help on where to enter, then try our Guide - View
- Realistic Life-size Birds known as "Decorative", refers to carvings portraying realism through carving, feather texturing and painting. Water bird categories include both flat bottomed birds (as if on water) and carvings that have full body profiles and can be standing, flying or shown with habitat. Habitat may include materials other than wood.
- Song Birds are grouped in three categories by size - small, medium and large (see Species lists). The judging chair will decide placement of any species not on the lists.
- Miniature refers to a carving that is one-half life-size or smaller. Carvings less than full-size but larger than half-size compete in the appropriate full-size category.
- Heads compete in the appropriate full-size category.
- Hunting Decoys refers to working decoys that could be used for hunting. Decoys MAY BE FLOATED (depending on the number of entries) and must self right; ducks from any position and geese from the side. Unsupported primary feathers are not allowed. Entries will be judged for sturdiness and proper floatation.Simplicity of painting is required. All entries must have attachment points for anchor lines (lines and anchors not needed).
- Contemporary Decoys includes both IWCA-style decoys and non-floating flat bottom “smoothies”. Entries may be with or without a keel but WILL NOT BE FLOATED. There are no restrictions on painting. This division also includes shorebirds mounted on a simple base with a wood or metal dowel.
- Antique-Style refers to carvings made to look as if they are old by the manner in which they are carved, painted and finished.
- Decorative Life-size Fish entries will be judged for realism of the fish and habitat, as well as the other judging criteria listed.
- Decorative Life-size Wall Mount entries will be hung on the wall for judging and must have sturdy attachments for hanging.
- Decorative Miniature Fish entries must be full-bodied, one-half life-size or less, with a maximum subject length of 8 inches.
- Interpretive Fish Carving entries will be judged based on creativity, not as a true-to-life representation. Eyes may be carved or glass. Natural finish or painted entries are acceptable.
- Interpretive and Stylized wildlife is open to any interpretation or style; entries can be natural finish, wood burned or painted but not trueto-life.
- Myth and Fantasy includes both animsl-like creatures (dragons, unicorns) and humanoids (elves, fairies, gnomes, mermaids, Santas, trolls, wizards, etc.).
- Botanical includes carvings depicting flowers, fruits, leaves or other vegetative subjects. It is also the category to enter carvings made from wood-like materials (except bark) such as nuts and gourds.
- Miscellaneous is for carvings that do not fit any other category. Examples include abstract forms, puzzles, spoons and othe wood sculptures.
- Native-Style refers to carvings inspired by First Nations art, particularly the natives of the Pacific Coast of North America, but other native styles are welcome in this Division. The two categories seperate “in-the-round” (masks, rattles, totems, bowls) from mainly “flat surface” carvings (plaques, paddles and boxes)
- Woodturning is divided into six categories. Hollow-form includes vases or turnings where the opening of the vessel is relatively small; boxes are any lidded container; multi-part assemblies are entries with multiple turned pieces in a set (such as chess or tea sets); spindles are any "between centre" turnings; segmented turnings are composed of multiple pieces of wood glued together, typically to create designs.
- Woodworking - Decorative includes pyrography (woodburning), marquetry (inlay) & intarsia (using varied shapes, sizes and species of wood fitted together to create a mosaic-like picture) and scroll saw projects intended to be artwork or primarily decorative. Pyrography includes pictures, boxes or other items where woodburning is a dominant element of the piece.
- Woodworking - Functional includes four categories of items intended to be used for specific functions. Household includes breadbords and other small functional items not covered by other categories. Furniture includes tables, chairs, cabinets etc.
- Musical Instruments is divided into three categories: all stringed instruments, percussion (drums and other instruments that make a sound when they are hit, shaken or scraped) and woodwind (flutes, recorders, etc.).
Please note the Show has been split into four Competitions with a Best of Show awarded in each.
Divs. and Cats. have been modified to reflect this change.
Wildfowl Carving Competition
Division A: Realistic Lifesize Waterbirds Category 1: Marsh Ducks Category 2: Diving Ducks Category 3: Geese & Swans Category 4: Seabirds, Shorebirds, other
Division B: Realistic Lifesize Landbirds Category 5: Small Songbirds Category 6: Medium Songbirds Category 7 Large Songbirds Category 8 Upland Gamebirds Category 9 Raptors Category 10 Woodpeckers & Others
Division C: Realistic Miniature Birds Category 11 Waterbirds Category 12 Landbirds
Division D: Hunting Decoys (Floating) Category 13 Marsh Ducks Category 14 Diving Ducks Category 15 Geese, Swans & Confidence
Division E: Contemp. Decoys (non-floating) Category 16 Marsh & Diving Ducks Category 17 Geese, Swans & Confidence Category 18 Shorebirds
Division F: Antique-style Decoys Category 19 Ducks Category 20 Geese & Confidence Category 21 Shorebirds
Fish and Wildlife Carving Competition
Division G: Decorative Lifesize Fish Category 22 Trout, Salmon & Char Category 23 Other Freshwater Fish Category 24 Saltwater Fish
Division H: Mounts / Miniatures / Interpretive Category 25 Wall Mounts Category 26 Decorative Miniatures Category 27 Interpretive / Stylized
Division I: Realistic Wildlife Category 28 Land Mammals Category 29 Water Mammals Category 30 Reptiles, Amphibians, Others
Division J: Interpretive/Stylized Wildlife Category 31 Natural Finish Category 32 Woodburned or Painted
Traditional Carving Competition
Division K: Humans & Animals Category 33 Caricatures Category 34 Realistic Humans Category 35 Domestic Animals Category 36 Myth and Fantasy
Division L: Natural Materials & Misc. Category 37 Canes, Walking Sticks Category 38 Driftwood Creations Category 39 Bark Carving Category 40 Botanical Category 41 Miscellaneous
Division M: Relief & Chip Category 42 Relief Carving Category 43 Chip Carving
Division N: Pacific Coast Native-Style Category 44 Masks, Rattles, Totems, Bowls Category 45 Paddles, Plaques, Boxes
Division O: Category 46 Stone Category 47 Bone, Antler
Woodworking Competition
Division P: Wood Turning Category 48 Bowls & Platters Category 49 Vases, Hollow-Forms Category 50 Turned Boxes Category 51 Multi-part Assemblies Category 52 Pens, Lamps, Other Spindles Category 53 Segmented Turnings
Division Q: Woodworking - Decorative Category 54 Pyrography Category 55 Marquetry & Intarsia Category 56 Scroll Saw
Division R: Woodworking - Functional Category 57 Boxes Category 58 Toys Category 59 Household Items Category 60 Furniture
Division S: Musical Instruments Category 61 Stringed Category 62 Percussion Category 63 Woodwind
Special Competitions
Division T: Cocktail Carvings Category 64 Land ( All terrestrial creatures) Category 65 Water ( aquatic/semi aquatic creatures) Category 66 Air (All creatures that fly)
Division U: Special Category 67 Carvers' Challenge
Division Y: Youth Category 68 Age 11 and under Category 69 Age 11 to 14 Category 70 Age 15 to 18
Wildfowl Carving Competition
| Division A: | Realistic Lifesize Waterbirds |
|---|---|
| Category 1: | Marsh Ducks |
| Category 2: | Diving Ducks |
| Category 3: | Geese & Swans |
| Category 4: | Seabirds, Shorebirds, other |
| Division B: | Realistic Lifesize Landbirds |
| Category 5: | Small Songbirds |
| Category 6: | Medium Songbirds |
| Category 7 | Large Songbirds |
| Category 8 | Upland Gamebirds |
| Category 9 | Raptors |
| Category 10 | Woodpeckers & Others |
| Division C: | Realistic Miniature Birds |
| Category 11 | Waterbirds |
| Category 12 | Landbirds |
| Division D: | Hunting Decoys (Floating) |
| Category 13 | Marsh Ducks |
| Category 14 | Diving Ducks |
| Category 15 | Geese, Swans & Confidence |
| Division E: | Contemp. Decoys (non-floating) |
| Category 16 | Marsh & Diving Ducks |
| Category 17 | Geese, Swans & Confidence |
| Category 18 | Shorebirds |
| Division F: | Antique-style Decoys |
| Category 19 | Ducks |
| Category 20 | Geese & Confidence |
| Category 21 | Shorebirds |
Fish and Wildlife Carving Competition
| Division G: | Decorative Lifesize Fish |
|---|---|
| Category 22 | Trout, Salmon & Char |
| Category 23 | Other Freshwater Fish |
| Category 24 | Saltwater Fish |
| Division H: | Mounts / Miniatures / Interpretive |
| Category 25 | Wall Mounts |
| Category 26 | Decorative Miniatures |
| Category 27 | Interpretive / Stylized |
| Division I: | Realistic Wildlife |
| Category 28 | Land Mammals |
| Category 29 | Water Mammals |
| Category 30 | Reptiles, Amphibians, Others |
| Division J: | Interpretive/Stylized Wildlife |
| Category 31 | Natural Finish |
| Category 32 | Woodburned or Painted |
Traditional Carving Competition
| Division K: | Humans & Animals |
|---|---|
| Category 33 | Caricatures |
| Category 34 | Realistic Humans |
| Category 35 | Domestic Animals |
| Category 36 | Myth and Fantasy |
| Division L: | Natural Materials & Misc. |
| Category 37 | Canes, Walking Sticks |
| Category 38 | Driftwood Creations |
| Category 39 | Bark Carving |
| Category 40 | Botanical |
| Category 41 | Miscellaneous |
| Division M: | Relief & Chip |
| Category 42 | Relief Carving |
| Category 43 | Chip Carving |
| Division N: | Pacific Coast Native-Style |
| Category 44 | Masks, Rattles, Totems, Bowls |
| Category 45 | Paddles, Plaques, Boxes |
| Division O: | |
| Category 46 | Stone |
| Category 47 | Bone, Antler |
Woodworking Competition
| Division P: | Wood Turning |
|---|---|
| Category 48 | Bowls & Platters |
| Category 49 | Vases, Hollow-Forms |
| Category 50 | Turned Boxes |
| Category 51 | Multi-part Assemblies |
| Category 52 | Pens, Lamps, Other Spindles |
| Category 53 | Segmented Turnings |
| Division Q: | Woodworking - Decorative |
| Category 54 | Pyrography |
| Category 55 | Marquetry & Intarsia |
| Category 56 | Scroll Saw |
| Division R: | Woodworking - Functional |
| Category 57 | Boxes |
| Category 58 | Toys |
| Category 59 | Household Items |
| Category 60 | Furniture |
| Division S: | Musical Instruments |
| Category 61 | Stringed |
| Category 62 | Percussion |
| Category 63 | Woodwind |
Special Competitions
| Division T: | Cocktail Carvings |
|---|---|
| Category 64 | Land ( All terrestrial creatures) |
| Category 65 | Water ( aquatic/semi aquatic creatures) |
| Category 66 | Air (All creatures that fly) |
| Division U: | Special |
| Category 67 | Carvers' Challenge |
| Division Y: | Youth |
| Category 68 | Age 11 and under |
| Category 69 | Age 11 to 14 |
| Category 70 | Age 15 to 18 |
Skill Levels
Youth
- For participants age 18 and younger. Entries will be judged by age groups as follows: 11 and under, 12 to 14, 15 to 18. NOTE:- Youth competition is found in the SPECIAL competitions in online registration. Participants under 18 do not have to enter in Youth if they wish to compete in a higher skill level. There is one Youth competition for all entries (no seperate Divisions and Categories).
Novice
- This is the entry level of competition. You may enter at this level until having won 3 Best of Division awards with 3 different pieces.
Intermediate
- For carvers or woodworkers who display skills beyond the Novice level. You may enter at this level until having won 5 Best of Division awards on 5 different pieces.
Advanced
- For individuals who display advanced skills in all judging criteria. After winning 5 Best of Division awards with 3 different carvings in 3 different shows, the carver must move to the Expert level.
Expert
- For individuals who qualify to move beyond Advanced, displaying excellence in all judging criteria. You are allowed to compete in Advanced for Divisions in which you have not achieved the Expert skill level.
Open
- Some competitions in the show are open to all skill levels. This applies to Division T: “Cocktail Carvings” and Division U: "Special" (annual Carver's Challenge), so you will enter the skill level as “OPEN”. There are other OPEN competitions in the show for special awards where you enter your normal skill level and category, but you will also compete with other carvings drawn from all skill levels. This applies to:
- Best Antique-style
- Best Brant
- Best Hunting Decoy
- Telegraph Cove Resort Awards (see details)
- The People’s Choice and Carver’s Choice awards are also open to all skill levels and are chosen by ballot.
Species Listing
Species categories follow the Pacific Northwest Carvers (PNC) association listings except where some categories have been combined.
- Marsh Ducks
- black duck, gadwall, mallard, pintail, shoveler, teal(all), wigeon, wood duck, whistling duck.
- Diving Ducks
- bufflehead, canvasback, eider, goldeneye, harlequin, merganser(all), long-tailed duck, redhead, ring-neck, ruddy duck, scaup, scoter, smew.
- Geese, Swans
- brant, canada, snow and all other geese, mute, tundra and all other swans.
- Confidence
- A term used in the three decoy divisions(D, E, F) for species that are nut hunted, but their presence may encourage other waterfowl to land, such as a seabird (and including shorebirds and wading birds in Div D).
- Sea Birds
- albatros, anhinga, auk, boobie, cormorant, frigatebird, gannet, gull, jaeger, pelican, penguin, petrel, puffin, shearwater, skimmer, skua, tern, tropicbird, others.
- Shorebirds (and wading birds)
- avocet, coot, crane, curlew, egret, flamingo, gallinule, godwit, heron, ibis, knot,limpkin,oystercatcher, phalarope. plover, rail, sandpiper, snipe, spoonbill, stilt, stork, turnstone, whimbrel, woodcock, yellowlegs.
- Small Songbirds
- bushtit, chickadee, creeper, finch, kinglet, nuthatch, siskin, sparrow, swallow, warbler, wren (except cactus), yellowthroat, verdin.
- Large Songbirds
- crow, cuckoo, flicker, grackle, jay, longspur, magpie, mockingbird, nighthawk, nutcracker, raven, robin, shrike, thrasher, varied thrush.
- Medium Songbirds
- all others not on above lists.
- Woodpeckers, others
- bee-eater, cuckoo, dove, hummingbird, flicker, kingfisher, parrot, pidgeon, road runner, swift, toucan, woodpecker, other non-passerine land birds.
- Upland gamebirds
- grouse, guineafowl, partridge, peafowl, pheasant, ptarmigan, quail, turkey.
- Raptors (Birds of Prey)
- eagle, falcon, hawk, kite, osprey, owl, vulture.
- Landbirds
- all raptors, songbirds, upland gamebirds, woodpeckers/others.
- Waterbirds
- all ducks, geese, seabirds, shorebirds.
Endangered Species Competition
The goal of this award is to help raise awareness of species on BC’s lists of threatened and endangered birds and other animals. For 2025, the featured species is the Black-crowned Night Heron. Your carving may be realistic lifesize (Div. A, Cat. 4 Seabirds, Shorebirds, Others) or miniature (Div. C, Cat. 11 Waterbirds) but not cocktail size (Div. T). Carvings will first compete by category with all other entries, and then all eligible entries will be judged for these awards by skill level.
$50 + Rosette each for Novice, Intermediate, Advanced & Expert.
Black-crowned Night Heron
Get a head start... 2026: Best Endangered Vancouver Island Marmot
Hunting Decoys
This competition is for all entries in Division D: Hunting Decoys (Floating)
Cat 13. Marsh Ducks
Cat 14. Diving Ducks
Cat 15. Geese, Swans & Confidence
The Best Hunting Decoy will be awarded $300. This award is sponsored by the Mid Island Woodworkers Guild.
This Division will honour the original working decoy, hand carved from wood and designed to be hunted over.
Decoys MAY BE FLOATED (depending on the number of entries) and must self right — ducks from any position and geese from the side.
Unsupported primary feathers are not allowed.
Entries will be judged for sturdiness and proper flotation.
Simplicity of painting is required.
All entries must have attachment points for anchor lines (lines and anchors not needed).
Contemporary Decoys
This competition is for all entries in Division E: Contemporary Decoys (Non Floating)
Cat. 16. Marsh & Diving Ducks
Cat. 17. Geese, Swans & Confidence
Cat. 18. Shorebirds
Contemporary decoys include both IWCA-style decoys and non-floating flat bottom “smoothies”
Entries may be with or without a keel but WILL NOT BE FLOATED.
There are no restrictions on painting.
This division also includes shorebirds mounted on a simple base with a wood or metal dowel.
Purchase Awards
Sponsored by Surfside Automotive from Parksville, BC, with the winner receiving $500.
The winning carving will then be used for the following years Raffle prize. This is an "Open" class so carvers of all skill levels will be judged in a single competition.
For 2025 the chosen subject is the Best Smoothie Goldeneye Drake (non floating) (Div. E, Cat. 17, Non-floating).
Wood Turning Competition
The Woodturning Division (Div. P) has been incorporated into the Woodworking Competition. The division has also been split into six different categories which allow better grouping than the old.
There is no limit to the number of entries by each turner.
** Selling is not a requirement of competing.
It will be up to each turner to decide which category their entry best fits. However, during judging, if the judges feel your entry is a better fit for a different Category, they will have the permission of the Show Chair to move it and re-register it in the other Category.
Wood Carvers Challenge 2025
Spoons
This is an ongoing special award category where we'll choose a carving subject that has a challenging aspect to it. We started in 2018 with a 'Mobius', this was followed by 'Leaves', 'Single Feather' and 'Ball in a Cage'. The challenge for 2025 is the classic carving of a Spoon .
There are many different possibilities, from functional kitchen spoons to Welsh love spoons -- use your imagination! Entries will compete in Division U, Category 67, which is a special “Open” category for carvers of all skill levels.
1st - $75, 2nd - $50, 3rd - $25, + Rosettes
Woodworkers Challenge 2025
One Board Foot
This is a NEW special Woodworking category. The challenge for 2025 is to create something out of one board foot of wood. The wood you use can be of any dimensions, but the total cannot exceed 144 cubic inches. To add an additional challenge, your entry must include wood from two or more tree species. This challenge is for items that would normally be entered in the Woodworking Competition (not carvings, although you may have carved elements such as designs on a box or turning).
Entries will compete in Division U, which is a special “Open” competition for all skill levels.
1st - $75, 2nd - $50, 3rd - $25, + Rosettes
Art Show Entry Forms
This section is for flat art only.
Art Show Entry Form - not available yet
Complete the form and mail or email to the address at top of the entry form.
Carving & Woodworking Entry Forms
A traditional paper entry form, for the Carving Show can be printed here.
.Sales Table Entry Form
Sales Table Entry Form - Print/View
This form is for anyone who would like to have their work for sale at the show (Not in the competition).
Online Registration
Pre-registered carvings are $7 per entry.
All carvings registered at the door will be $10 per carving.
Online Registration is now closed. Please register at the show.
The competitions are open to carvers and other woodworkers of all skill levels. All entries must be entirely the work of the person(s) entering. If the entry is by more than one person all names must be on the entry form. Your entry must have been completed within the LAST 5 YEARS, and not competed in the “Brant” show before. You may no longer enter the SAME carving a second year in a row in another skill level. There is no limit on the total number of entries an individual may enter in the show, or in any category.
All entries must be made of wood (excluding Division O "Other Media"), with the exception of eyes, feet, habitat, hardware or supports which may be made of other materials. Wood includes bark, nuts and laminated products. For Advanced and Expert wildfowl carvings, you must fabricate the wildfowl feet. Habitat materials other than wood may be included in the presentation of a carving, provided that the materials used are appropriate and are used in a complimentary manner. For wildfowl, fish and other wildlife the carver should fabricate all habitat components. In Advanced and Expert skill levels, judges may deduct for the use of “found” materials (such as real branches, driftwood, pebbles/rocks). Bases used for support but not part of the habitat can be made by someone other than the carver.
Entries may not be removed until Sunday at 4:00 PM.
Judges will consider the following criteria in the judging process. All five criteria are important, and they overlap and build upon each other. The most successful carvings will succeed in all five areas.
- Craftsmanship refers to the technical skills involved in carving or woodworking, including painting and finishing. Good craftsmanship should be consistent throughout the piece.
- Accuracy involves the correctness of a piece from a scientific perspective (if applicable).
- Essence of the Species (if applicable): that which brings the piece alive, capturing the unique qualities of a particular species.
- Artistry of a piece refers to its design and composition. This is where presentation, innovation and creativity all come into play. There should be beauty in the concept apart from the beauty of the subject itself. Line, form, content, colour, mass and movement should work together to create an integrated whole.
- Originality the piece should express your ideas and your own work — not copy someone else’s work. Originality becomes more important with each higher skill level.
Criteria adapted from the Ward World Championship.
The judges’ determination is final and not subject to review. Judging and competition standards of the Pacific Northwest Carvers Association are followed unless specified otherwise. The show officials may change an entry to a more appropriate skill level or category or may disqualify an entry for violation of the competition rules.
- You are responsible for knowing and understanding all of the rules of the contest entered.
- You are responsible for entering each piece in the appropriate Category and Skill Level.
- You will address any complaints directly and only to the Show Chair.
- You may not communicate with the Judges at any time during the judging.
- You should not have an entry critiqued by a Judge prior to the competition.
- If you solicit a Judge to critique your entries after they have been judged, you will accept the Judge’s comments courteously.
