LELAND AWARD Quintin Thompson
A PRESTIGIOUS AWARD JUST FOR GUIDES
2013 Leland Award Winner Guide for Gundahoo River Outfitters
POSITIVE ATTITUDE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSONABLE
The recipient of the award will receive a special bronze sculpture from Rick Taylor and a cheque for $1,000 from GOABC. Second and third place winners each receive a cheque for $750 from GOABC.
“The Leland Award… you’ve been nominated for the Leland Award,” I was told that a couple months ago. Truthfully, the fact that I have been chosen as the 2013 recipient—let alone nominated—still has yet to sink in. I would like to say with most humble thanks that it is a profound honour to be the 2013 recipient of the Leland Award. I had met Leland Bradford years ago when we were young, as a result of our families both being in the outfitting industry. Leland was one of those truly outstanding guides and I am deeply humbled to be sharing company with the past recipients of this award. Also, I would like to stress that I couldn’t be standing here accepting this award without the involvement and guidance of others. Most of all I want to thank the Lord God, as He created the wilderness we “play” in and all the wildlife we enjoy. I thank Him for the gifts and the abilities He gave me in order to experience His creation and do this job I love.
I would like to thank my family. My parents, Arthur and Crystal Thompson of Gundahoo River Outfitters, who helped shape my character in dealing with people and my work ethic, and who supplied an environment where I could, from a young age, cultivate my love for the mountains, wildlife and, of course, my horse. Carrying that forward, I would like to thank my three children, Jacob, Isaac and Anna-James for always positively insisting that I keep guiding and “going north” each year and sharing it with them, as they truly know how much I love the mountains. I need to thank the hunters that I have had the opportunity to guide over the years. Not only for the hunting experiences and memories, but the friendships gained in short two week hunts. I am thankful for each of those experiences, ranging from climbing two and a half mountains on the last day of a hunt in order to get an opportunity on a Stone ram, to packing a moose out on a
cold, crisp, clear night with wolves howling and northern lights soaring overhead. Thanks to the hunters who nominated me for this award—you know who you are. I want to also thank the members of the team that I am and have been a part of; all of those other guides and wranglers (true friends) that I have worked with over the years. I look forward to continue making mountainside memories with these people. A special thank you I would like to extend to the late George MacDonald, my original mentor, you could say, when I started following him around the Gundahoo wilderness at age 13. Finally, thank you to GOABC and the Bradford family for establishing this memorial award for guides. Being recognized by your peers for something you truly love to do is so meaningful, and most definitely will be a highlight of my life. Quintin Thompson
The Leland Award recognizes professionalism in the ranks of guides in British Columbia, Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. It was first established in 2000 in memory of Leland Bradford, a talented and skilful assistant guide who died in November 1998 at the young age of 22 years.
NOMINATION DEADLINE : December 31, 2013 WHO CAN BE NOMINATED?
HOW TO SUMMIT NOMINATIONS
The committee will be looking for those qualities and traits in a guide that help make your trip a special and memorable experience. In the Spring 2012 issue of Mountain Hunter™, the photo credit for the Leland Award page was missed. The photo of Derrick Stevens was taken by Nick Diamond www.nickdiamondphotography.ca.
20 > Mountain Hunter – Convention Issue 2013
Any assistant guide employed by a member of GOABC in 2013 is eligible for the Leland Award. The Leland Award recognizes a guide’s professional attitude and treatment of clients, ethics and standards, and knowledge of the area and its wildlife.
WHO CAN SUBMIT NOMINATIONS? Any client of a GOABC member in 2013 can submit nominations for the Leland Award. The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2013.
Nominations can be submitted to GOABC by mail, email or fax, and must be received by December 31, 2013.
For more information, ask your guide outfitter or contact: Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia Suite 103 – 19140 28th Avenue Surrey, British Columbia V3S 6M3 Ph: (604) 541-6332 Fax: (604) 541-6339 info@goabc.org • www.goabc.org