Well another MTA rendezvous has come and gone and considering COVID-19, there was a pretty good turnout. There were quite a few familiar faces, as well as new ones. Hats off to District 6 director, Kelly Turner and Vice President, Charles Samuels and all the helpers that put the event together, to a job well done.
The event took place at the community center in St. Robert, Missouri where one could find all the supplies a trapper could need. There were lots of arts and crafts for sale and there was even products for the ladies to fix their nails. There were trap setting contests, skillet toss contests and Miss Rodeo Missouri, Rebecca Heppe was there representing and showing off her beautiful fur vest.
There were several outstanding trappers there with tons of knowlege that they shared to all that listened. Trappers like Lesel Reuwsaat, Darren Cheek, Tommy Alexander, Rick Hemseth, Mike Fischer, Rusty Johnson, Cletis Richards, David Jones, Tim Wilson and Robert Waddell were there to show all how it's done.
Several deserving members were given awards at the awards ceremony Friday night, recognizing their outstanding achievements within the association. District 2 director, Cliff Fowler received the Dilapidated Trapper Award, Gene Whyte received the Appreciation Award, Tony Oden received the Presidents Award and Trapper of the Year went to Keith Voss. The Ray Bruedigam Memorial Leadership Award went to Tom Westhoff and the Hall of Fame Award went to Joe Moser and Paul Webb. Both of these awards are the most prestigeous a recipient can earn with the Hall of Fame being the highest.
2021 will be an election year for the MTA and at the General Meeting on Saturday night some eligable members were nominated for offices. So far Rick Friedrich was nominated for President, Charles Samuels for Vice President, Keith Voss for Secretary, Ann Scarlett for Treasurer, Justin Elliott for Conservation Director and Rick Friedrich for NTA Director. There were a few things discussed at the meeting such as new live coyote and fox trapping regulations that go into affect this fall. These regulations aren't in the code book yet, so contact your local game warden for the updated details. Tom Westhoff mentioned that the Conservation Federation of Missouri granted the MTA $1,000 which six of our districts will each receive $166 to be used towards beginner trapper clinics. Also, Cletis Richards, of Apple Road Baits, donated a generous amount of his bait and lure to be distributed ot at the beginner trapper clinics.
At the meeting it was also decided that the MTA would donate the Oaklahoma Trappers Association $500 for all of their help that they generously gave us when we spondored the National Trappers Association in Springfield last year. The membership decided that since we received proceeds from the past, that we would donate $250 to the Risberg Foundation through the Conservation Federation of Missouri. The night ended with the MTA fundraising banquet in which money was raised for the association.