U.S. Open Turkey Calling Contest Guidelines for Qualifers and National U.S. Open Each qualifier and the National event are major events for the selected stores. In addition to theses events, the stores should consider anciliary programs to enhance turkey hunting education Format Qualifiers A maximum of 10 stores will participate. Qualifiers should be scheduled during Turkey Week Tab timeframe. Each qualifier will be a one day event. The day may be designed to cut the open field to 15 callers for a finals event later in the day to determine the top caller and additional 4 individuals who qualify in the Open Division to move up to the National U.S. Open. Only the top caller will be awarded travel to the National U.S. Open. Although three divisions are suggested ONLY the Open Division qualifies to the National U.S. Open. Other divisions are fun divisions. Friction Division, designed to get first time callers involved will pay out entry fees and include some product awards. Jakes will be product awards only. The individuals who qualify at each location will compete in the pre-qualifier at the National U.S. Open. Top caller from each location will also receive free entry into the pre-qualifier. A Last Chance qualifier may be held at the location for the National U.S. Open the day prior to the pre-qualifier, but the Last Chance qualifier must be held at least 7 days prior to the pre-qualifier for the National U.S. Open. Three Divisions are suggested. Open Division This is the division which will qualify the 5 individuals to attend the National U.S. Open Turkey Calling Championship. Entrants must be 21 years of age or older due to NWTF rules. Ultimately the winner of the U.S. Open will receive automatic entry into the finals of the NWTF Grand Nationals. Friction Division Although this division will not qualify to the National U.S. Open, they may move up in the division for NWTF Grand National calling championship qualifications. This division must have at least 10 entrants for winner to move up to Grand National qualifier. Entrants in this division must also be 21 years of age or older.
Jakes (Junior Division) There is no fee for this division. Entrants must be 15 years of age or YOUNGER. There is no qualifying to move into the NWTF grand national calling championship for this age group. The Nationals are open for this age group, both NWTF and U.S. Open Turkey Calling Championships. Other divisions that could be included for the qualifier as fun divisions are amateur (for individuals who have never competed), Intermediate Division (Ages 16 20 same rules as Jakes), Owl Hooting and Gobbling. The decision to include these is up to the store. Prize Package for Qualifiers includes: First Place Second Place Third Place Fourth Place Fifth Place Free entry to the pre-qualifier of the National U.S. Open Expenses (travel, hotel and food) to the location of the National U.S. Open. Product Packages supplied by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak and Quaker Boy NOTE: Payback should be based on 100% of entry fees received. Expenses to run the event should be covered by the store if not supplied by corporate or a sponsor. National U.S. Open National U.S. Open location will be top performing turkey sales location. The pre-qualifier held the day before the U.S. Open will be in the same format as other qualifiers for the Open Division ONLY to narrow the field for the finals to 15 callers.
Prize Package for the U.S. Open includes: First Place Second Place Third Place Fourth Place Fifth Place Sixth Place Seventh Place Eighth Place Ninth Place Tenth Place Automatic entry to the finals of the Grand Nationals Expenses paid to attend the finals of the Grand Nationals and NWTF National Convention in 2009 $5,000 Cash Mossy Oak clothing Package $2,500 Cash BPS Gift Card ($500) $1,500 Cash BPS Gift Card ($400) $1,000 Cash BPS Gift Card ($250) $750 Cash BPS Gift Card ($150) BPS Gift Card ($100) BPS Gift Card ($75) 11 th 15 th Places $100 BPS Gift Card
NOTE: National U.S. Open prizes are provided by corporate and sponsors as listed. Prequalifier entry fees for this event ONLY ($75.00 per caller) may be used toward store expenses. Entry Fees QUALIFIERS Open Division A $75.00 entry fee is suggested for this division. Payback is 100% of entry fees to three places as follows: First Place 60% Second Place 30% Third Place 10% In addition, the first place winner receives travel and hotel to the U.S. Open for the pre-qualifier. The store holding the U.S. Open may also hold a qualifier in their market at least 7 days prior to the pre-qualifier and finals as a last chance qualifier. Friction Division A $75.00 entry fee is suggested for this division. Payback is 100% of entry fees to three places as follows: First Place 60% Second Place 30% Third Place 10% Remember, this Division must have 10 entrants for the winner to move into Grand Nationals qualifiers. Jakes Division No entry fee is suggested for this division. Product prizes should be awarded to all young people participating. U.S. Open Pre-Qualifier Open Division A $75.00 entry fee is suggested for this division. First Place winners from qualifiers will not pay this entry fee. All others (places 2-5) are required to pay the entry fee. This entry fee for the National U.S. Open may be used against expenses by the store.
Finals There is no entry fee for the finals. Fifteen (15) finalists will be selected on prequalifying day to participate the next day in the finals. Judges Judges are the most important part of a successful event. They should be selected carefully. To avoid the local contest image, judges should be brought in from other areas and expenses covered. Many of our promotions managers are qualified to judge and could be considered as possible judges for your area. Using judges from your local NWTF chapter may cause problems and prevent some top callers from your area from participating. It is important that judges are qualified and recognized turkey calling judges. Judges should be compensated with cash or gift cards. Gift cards are usually well received. Typically a $100 - $200 gift card would be awarded to each judge. These may be provided by Marketing. Stage and Décor for Contest Preparing the best possible stage for the qualifier helps to attract a larger audience from your customer base. Judges must be seated with a table in a draped-off section where they cannot see entrants entering or leaving the stage. Nothing to create bad acoustics should be used around, above or below the stage area. Use of camo netting or material must be Mossy Oak for these events since they are a sponsor. Quaker Boy Calls and Mossy Oak must also have logo presence on the stage and on flyers or other promotional pieces.