Dear friends of conservation and Rigby,
It gives me the greatest pleasure to share on behalf of all at Rigby, together with our esteemed judges Mr. Robin Hurt, Dr Kevin Robertson, Mr. Richard Sowry, PH Buzz Charlton and myself, that after the rigorous judging of 85 incredible entries, the 2025 Rigby Dagga Boy Award has been presented to:
Mr. Anton Weavind (hunter)
Mr. Derek Littleton (PH)
Anton’s submission was an incredible hunting story coupled with a strong conservation message that aligns so closely with the mission at the heart of the Dagga Boy Award. What really spoke to us as judges was the quality and age of the Dagga boy, but also that the scrumcap in question was not only well past his prime, but also a mankiller. It’s clear how much the hunter and his PH – who is the concession holder too – went to great lengths to protect the local people in such a wild, remote area of Mozambique. This hunt was true conservation in action, a very worthy winner and a memorable tale that deserves to be shared far and wide.
We have been truly humbled by the response to this award and are proud to be at the forefront of conservation and sustainable hunting. Your time spent writing and compiling entries helps us to gather scientific data that will help support the long-term future of our beloved African buffalo. We hope to share the entries in the second edition of the Rigby Dagga Boy book, with the aim of publishing this at the end of 2025.
Everyone involved in the Rigby Dagga Boy Award is extremely grateful for the support this initiative has received from hunters and PHs alike. There are two years to run until the panel will judge the next award which will be announced at the Dallas Safari Convention in January 2027. Keep an eye out for more details of how to submit your entries in the coming months.
Congratulations once again to all entrants, come and see us at DSC in Atlanta on booth #4251 until Sunday, and we hope to see some of you at SCI next week.
Thank you,
Marc Newton