Duck and goose calling champs crowned at inaugural expo
It probably wasn't an ideal preparation for his biggest duck calling contest in nearly two years.
Benny Breitkreutz, 42, of Horicon worked into the wee hours on Aug. 28 in his job as a press operator at Mayville Engineering Company in Mayville.
Breitkreutz said he got only about four hours of sleep before heading over to the 2021 Wisconsin Duck and Goose Calling Championships held later that morning at the Waterfowl Hunters Expo in Oshkosh.
But his wind held out through three vigorous rounds of competition. And Breitkreutz, who lives across from Horicon Marsh, won the adult division of this year's Wisconsin duck calling contest.
Adam Nyhus of Almena took second and Kevin Sadler of Brookfield was third.
In the adult goose contest, Chance Wadsworth of Hager City placed first, followed by Troy Maaser of Lomira in second and Mason Tait of Germantown in third.
The top callers in each division received a trophy as well as gift certificates from contest sponsor Sherper's ($500 for first, $300 for second and $100 gift for third).
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, no state duck or goose calling champion was determined in 2020.
The contest is organized by the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association.
Breitkreutz grew up on a farm along the Rock River in Neosho and while he hunted he didn't pursue waterfowl until he was nearly 20.
His path toward duck calling started with a trapshooting league, Breitkreutz said.
"I got to where I was hitting the clay birds and I thought, well, let's see if I can hit the real thing," Breitkreutz said.
After he started duck hunting it didn't take long for him to learn the part he really loved - the calling.
"This was totally new to me," Breitkreutz said. "I had a blast learning how to call."
He stuck with it and has excelled. Breitkreutz credited help he's received over the years from Barnie Calef, a three-time world duck calling champion from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as well as Wayne Betts and Trey Crawford, both of Rogers, Arkansas.
This year marks the third - and final state title for Breitkreutz in the Wisconsin adult duck contest. Rules "retire" a caller after they've won three times.
For the victory, Breitkreutz will represent Wisconsin in November at the World's Duck Calling Championship in Stuttgart, Ark.
The "Super Bowl" of duck calling attracts about 60 of the world's best, including those who win qualifying events such as the Wisconsin state competition.
In two previous appearances Breitkreutz finished near the middle of the pack.
"Those guys basically don't miss a note in their whole routine," Breitkreutz said. "You've got to be pretty much perfect."
The Stuttgart event also was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This year's win in the Wisconsin championship, and the upcoming competition in Arkansas, is providing a capstone to Breitkreutz' duck calling career.
"It's a huge honor to win our state title again, and to represent Wisconsin (at the World Championships)," Breitkreutz said. "I'll do my best to do the state proud down there."
Listed below are the top three finishers in the 2021 Wisconsin duck and goose calling contests:
Adult Duck Calling
1st - Benny Breitkreutz, Horicon 2nd - Adam Nyhus, Almena
3rd - Kevin Sadler, Brookfield Intermediate Duck Calling
1st - Brady Eastman, age 14, Marinette
2nd - Ethan Valuch 13, Milwaukee 3rd - Carter Herrick, 13, Ripon Youth Duck Calling
1st - Clayton Canales, Rio
2nd - Abel Schloesser, Milwaukee 3rd - Zane Paitrick, Beaver Dam Adult Goose Calling
1st - Chance Wadsworth, Hager City 2nd - Troy Maaser, Lomira
3rd - Mason Tait, Germantown Intermediate Goose Calling
1st - Brady Eastman, 14, Marinette 2nd - Carter Herrick, 13, Ripon 3rd - Ethan Valuch, 13, Milwaukee
Youth Goose Calling
1st - Zane Paitrick, Beaver Dam 2nd - Gwen Draeger, Berlin
3rd - Lennie Draeger, Berlin
Expo deemed a success: The inaugural Waterfowl Hunters Expo drew about 2,500 people and 130 dogs on Aug. 28 to Sunnyview Exposition Center in Oshkosh, said Bruce Ross, executive director of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association and chief organizer of the event.
That attendance was "way over" the goal set for the first year of the expo, Ross said.
The Waterfowl Hunters Expo combined elements of two now-defunct events - the Great Outdoors Festival held during summer in Oshkosh and the Waterfowl Hunters' Conference held in March in Stevens Point or Wausau.
The new event was sponsored by the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl. It served as the location of the state duck and goose calling and state turkey, waterfowl and pheasant stamp contests.
"Exhibitors said they'd be back, and we got good participation in virtually all the seminars and demos," Ross said. "Kids and dogs everywhere, as well as hardcore waterfowlers. Lots of really good stuff to build on."
Ross said organizers were optimistic the waterfowl expo will become an annual event to help kick off fall seasons.