Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel Host Jim Shockey Honored with Weatherby Foundation Award

DENVER (December 18, 2019) – Character, integrity and sportsmanship may be words bandied about too freely today, but for Weatherby Foundation Award honorees those words are considered prerequisites. Only 60 hunters have been graced with the “The Weatherby Award” since its inception in 1956. On Wednesday, January 16 at the Omni Hotel in Dallas, Texas during the Dallas Safari Club convention, the 61st will be honored — Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel host Jim Shockey. Shockey joins fellow Outdoor Sportsman Group (OSG) host and editor Craig Boddington, who received the award in 2017. The duo represents the unprecedented likelihood of having back-to-back recipients as valued members of the OSG team.

The Weatherby Foundation Award recognizes hunters who have spent their lives pursuing their passion for hunting while also understanding that the above-mentioned attributes, as well as a conservation ethos and education, play a major role in hunting. The Weatherby Award, the most coveted honor among dedicated international big game hunters, represents the pinnacle of recognition for individuals who have hunted the most species in the most places around the world—under the most demanding conditions—while educating the non-hunting public about conservation and land management, as well as upholding integrity, dedication, sportsmanship and the highest personal ethical standards.

“The Weatherby Award is the pinnacle of success and achievement in hunting circles,” Outdoor Sportsman Group President and CEO, Jim Liberatore said. “The Weatherby Award is an international award that recognizes honorees from all over the world. A big part of what makes this award so special is the fact that it has been awarded since 1956. OSG is proud to count Jim Shockey and Craig Boddington as family, reaffirming our commitment to excellence.”

Shockey’s recognition follows that of fellow OSG hunting personality and 2017 Weatherby Award recipient, Craig Boddington. Boddington joined Petersen Publishing Company in 1979, initially as Associate Editor for Guns & Ammo magazine. Over the next few years he served as Editor of Guns & Ammo Specialty Publications and Associate Editor of Petersen’s HUNTING, and as Editor of Petersen’s HUNTING magazine (1983-1994). Currently, Boddingtons serves as Executive Field Editor for Outdoor Sportsman Group, including: Guns & Ammo, Petersen’s HUNTING, and Petersen’s RifleShooter magazines, and co-host of Guns & Ammo TV and Petersen’s Hunting Adventures TV. Boddington has published more than 4,000 magazine articles; authored 25 books on hunting, shooting, and conservation; and has appeared in more than 500 television episodes.

“It’s a stunning coincidence that Jim and Craig’s recognition come in back-to-back years,” Liberatore added. “Because they are both so closely allied with Outdoor Sportsman Group, our entire ‘family’ feels a sense of pride in knowing that we work with the undisputed best in the business.”

Shockey and Boddington join an extremely distinguished group. Past winners include such notables as: Warren Page, Elgin Gates, Dr. James E. Conklin and Jack O’Connor (first Executive Editor of Petersen’s Hunting magazine). Presenters of the award include such famous and recognized figures as: Joe Foss, Wilbur Smith, Chuck Connors, Gene Autry, Ernest Borgnine, Jameson Parker, Generals Chuck Yeager, Norman Swartzkopt, President George Bush, as well as H.I.H Prince Abdorreza Pahlavi of Iran.

Shockey will be recognized during the annual Weatherby Foundation Award dinner and gala on Wednesday, January 16 at the Omni Hotel in Dallas, Texas during the annual Dallas Safari Club convention.

About Weatherby Foundation International: The mission of this non-profit, tax-exempt foundation is to educate the non-hunting public on the beneficial role of ethical sport hunting and its contributions to wildlife conservation. Active in its mission, the Foundation currently leads a national initiative to foster the development of educational outdoor expos. Since 1998, more than one million people have participated in Foundation-sponsored Expos. Over 500,000 were less than 18 years old. The Foundation also annually sponsors the Weatherby Hunting and Conservation Award.

About Outdoor Sportsman Group: Outdoor Sportsman Group is comprised of the world’s foremost media and entertainment brands for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. It includes three leading multichannel networks: Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel and World Fishing Network, as well as MOTV, the world’s leading outdoor television content platform. The Group also consists of a number of established publishing assets: 15 outdoor magazines including Guns & Ammo, Petersen’s Bowhunting, Game & Fish and Florida Sportsman, and 19 top websites, including BassFan.com. Additionally, Outdoor Sportsman Group includes television production operations, Winnercomm. For more information, visit www.outdoorsg.com. #MyOutdoorTV

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Tom Caraccioli | Outdoor Sportsman Group | 212.852.6646 | Tom.Caraccioli@OutdoorSG.com