THE OX OF OKAVANGO AWARD

AN AWARD FOR BIG GAME CONSERVATION TO BE COMPETED FOR ANNUALLY BY MEMBERS OF THE A.P.H.A.

Honorary Member of the A.P.H.A., Mr. Frederick Mannix, has very generously presented this annual perpetual challenge award for The Conservation of African Big Game and its Habitat. (The name of the award stems from Mr. Mannix's extraordinary buffalo, the Ox of Okavango, that won for Mr. Robin Hurt the Big Six Award in 2004.) 

It is difficult to give sufficient emphasis to the importance of this competition. Members of the A.P.H.A. are the leading Professional Hunters in Africa. It will be appreciated that for Professional Hunting to continue the game that is hunted has to be subject to carefully planned conservation programmes. Not only is that factor important, Professional Hunters must demonstrate to all those concerned with African wildlife that their profession, safari hunting, is in the forefront of conserving wildlife and its environment in Africa.

This is a perpetual challenge annual award presented to the individual full member of the African Professional Hunters Association who has achieved the most for the conservation of Big Game and its habitat. Its wider significance is to demonstrate that the leading Professional Hunters in Africa contribute immensely to the conservation of game and its habitat.

The Award itself is of a herd of elephants made of solid silver. It was designed by Mr. Frederick Mannix in conjunction with the well known artist, Mr. Patrick Mavros who made and cast the prize. On its base is a plaque on which will be inscribed the names of each annual winner. Also each annual winner will retain a silver miniature.

This is to be an annual award presented to the individual full member of the African Professional Hunters Association who has achieved the most for the conservation of Big Game and its habitat over the preceding year.

The judging of the competition will be undertaken by the Executive Committee of the APHA in conjunction with the award's sponsor and originator, Honorary Member Mr. Frederick Mannix.

Entries are open to all full members of the APHA from all countries in Africa.

The Award will be presented at the Annual Dinner of the Association.

Should the competing Conservation programme be sponsored and funded by a company owned by a member then the award will be presented to the member of APHA, not to the company. If a major benefactor of the programme is an Honorary Member of the A.P.H.A., at the discretion of the Full Member the award might be presented to the Honorary Member.

ABBREVIATED PARAMETERS

1. The Name of the competing member.
2. The Name of the Conservation programme.
3. If you consider it appropriate names of Board Members, benefactors and donors.
4. Attach the brochure or similar literature and where necessary enlarge on items in it as set out below - headings 5 to 14.
5. The areas in which the programme operates.
6. The objectives of the programme, i.e., prevention of poaching; benefits to local people resident in the areas; conservation of habitat in addition to that of game; wetland conservation and etc. and etc. but certainly not limited to the examples.
7. The number of villages benefiting from the programme.
8. The benefits that have been realised by the local people, i.e., schools, dispensaries, roads & etc; further education granted to Tanzanians etc. & etc; Tanzanians in training as Professional Hunters.
9. Does the programme work in conjunction with the relevant Government authorities?
10. An indication of the annual turnover of the programme.
11. The source of funding. i.e. surcharge on Game Fees, Donors & etc. etc. but unnecessary to analyse actual amounts of each source. Indications of percentages of each source will suffice.
12. A summary of the success of the programme. i.e. increase in game populations; improvements in trophy measurements; poachers apprehended and successfully prosecuted; improvements in habitat and etc. and etc.
13. Recommendations and praise of the programme made by Government officials, the media, other conservation organisations and independent individuals could be included.
14. Where relevant, photographs and other illustrations should be included.