POTSDAM -- A Potsdam father and daughter team made out well for awards at a recent taxidermy show in Auburn.

Backwoods Taxidermy owner Brian Livernois and his daughter Alexa competed over the weekend of April 6 at the United Taxidermist of New York Convention and Competition.

Brian pretty much swept the “best of” awards, and Alexa scored wins in a youth category.

Brian Livernois entered a life-size mount of a Corsican ram in the large mammal category of the Professional Division. The mount, which received a first place score, also won several other awards including:

• Best of Category - Professional large mammal

• McKenzie Taxidermist Choice Best Mammal - chosen by all attending Taxidermists

• Safari Club Non-native Mammal Award - highest scoring non-native mammal in Professional or Masters Divisions

• Buckshot Tannery Award - highest scoring mammal in Professional Division

• Walnut Hollow Country Best Mammal Award - highest scoring mammal

• Best of Show Professional Division - judges choice of all professional pieces

• Breakthrough Award - judges choice of overall Best of Show, out of all entries, all divisions

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Alexa Livernois won two awards for her bear’s head mount.

The Breakthrough Award is the highest award given out at all Association competitions across the country. It is a highly prized, sought after, and coveted award, recognizing the individual for the many hours of work put into a mount, as well as the artistic flow of the piece.

Brian's daughter, Alexa, entered a black bear wall pedestal in the youth division, receiving a first place score and the Best of Category for youth game heads. She is a sixth grader at Potsdam Central.

Over 110 mounts were entered in different divisions and categories based on taxidermist experience, difficulty, and the species of animal. Any taxidermist can enter a piece and attend several seminars on many different aspects of taxidermy.