HomeNewsSEOPA Media Awards (BADIN, N.C.) At its 49th annual conference, held In Lake Charles, LA on Oct. 9-12, the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA) recognized winners in its Excellence in Craft competition, which is sponsored by Chevrolet. First, second, and third place winners were announced in eight categories. Also included in the ceremony were recipients of the Sharon Rushton Award (recognizing outstanding coverage of youth in the outdoors), the Realtree Website Horizons Award, and coverage of the Branson, MO site where SEOPA met in 2011. Among the 19 organization members recognized for their professional accomplishments were a number of multiple winners. They included Keith Sutton, who had the first place contribution in the Electronic Publication and Daily Newspaper categories as well as being the Sharon Rushton Award winner; Jim Spencer, with firsts in both Magazine and Magazine Short categories; Monte Burke; Johnny Sain; Glynn Harris; and Jack Horan. A complete lists of winners and their entries follows. AUDIO PROGRAM 1st Place: Glynn Harris, “I Did It for Bambi” O’Neal Outdoors – ESPN 97.7 – July 6, 2012 2nd Place: Wade Bourne, “Barry Jennings: Conasauga River Float Fishing” Wired2Fish Radio (syndicated) – May 2, 2013 3rd Place: Glynn Harris, “Love-Hate Relationships with Turkeys” O’Neal Outdoors – ESPN 97.7 – April 19, 2013 ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION 1st Place: Keith Sutton “Champion Retriever King Buck” ArkansasOnline.com – Feb. 3, 2013 2nd Place: Monte Burke “PETA Still Has It All Wrong” Forbes.com – Oct. 13, 2012 3rd Place: Monte Burke “Fishing in New York City After Hurricane” Forbes.com – Dec. 5, 2012 OUTDOOR BOOK 1st Place: J. Wayne Fears Isaac: Trek to Kings Mountain 2nd Place: Tommy Thompson The Saltwater Angler’s Guide to Tampa Bay 3rd Place: Hovey Smith Extreme Muzzleloading WEEKLY NEWSPAPER STORY 1st Place: John Sloan, “Empty Chair” Wilson Post – Oct. 10, 2012 2nd Place: John Sloan, “When It Is Time” Wilson Post – Oct. 19, 2012 3rd Place: Ben Moise, “Reminiscing About the Urge to Hunt” Charleston (S.C.) Mercury – Feb. 7, 2013 DAILY NEWSPAPER STORY 1st Place: Keith Sutton, “Piranha!” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – Nov. 11, 2012 2nd Place: Jack Horan, “Hiker, Pal Aim High” Charlotte (N.C.) Observer – May 2013 3rd Place: Keith Sutton, “The One and Only Duck Stamp Dog” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – Feb. 3, 2013 PHOTOGRAPH 1st Place: Polly Dean, “Labrador Retriever” West Virginia Game & Fish – May 2013 2nd Place: Mike Giles, “Rocky Mountain Big Horn” The Meridian (Miss.) Star – January 2013 3rd Place: Jack Horan, “BMX Bikes Fly High” Charlotte (N.C.) Observer – May 2013 MAGAZINE STORY – SHORT (1,000 words or less) 1st Place: Jim Spencer, “Mallard Maelstrom” Ducks Unlimited – November/December 2012 2nd Place: Keith Sutton “Alone, But Not on Christmas” Cabela’s Outfitter Journal – December 2012 3rd Place: Johnny Sain, “Trail Tales-Six Point” Arkansas Out-of-Doors – September-October 2012 MAGAZINE FEATURE (more than 1,000 words) 1st Place: Jim Spencer, “The Gift Bird” Turkey & Turkey Hunting – Winter 2012 2nd Place: Monte Burke, “From Hedge Funds to Bonefishing” Forbes Magazine – July 16, 2012 3rd Place: Keith Sutton, “On the Igapo Acu” Cabela’s Outfitter Journal – February 2013 SPECIAL AWARDS: SHARON RUSHTON AWARD Keith Sutton, “The Survival Trip” Cabela’s Outfitter Journal – October 2012 CONFERENCE SITE STORY 1st Place: Tim Huffman “Branson’s Table Rock Crappie” Crappie Now – November 2011 2nd Place: Kenny Kieser “A Christmas Trout Fishing Story” The Independence/Blue Springs (Mo.) Examiner Dec. 22, 2012 3rd Place: John Flores “SEOPA Conference Tells Story Concerning Modern Sporting Rifles” Morgan City (La.) Daily Review – October 2011 REALTREE WEBSITE HORIZONS AWARD 1st Place: Jeff Samsel www.jeffsamsel.blogspot.com 2nd Place: Johnny Sain www.aviewfromthebackroads.com 3rd Place: Jeff Dennis www.sclowcountryoutdoors.blogspot.com
