Kiwi calls in the crowd and wins world duck calling champs

Kiwi teenager Ritson Galloway, who is the current New Zealand Live Duck Calling Champion, has blitzed the best duck callers from all over the world to become the first Non-American to win at the World Waterfowl calling competition in the United States. 

On Saturday in the middle of a waterfowler callers paradise called Easton Maryland, a 16-year-old from Palmerston North became the world junior duck calling champion. 

Ritson had travelled from his home in Palmerston North with his father Andy and supporter Warren Smith to compete at the crucible called the World Waterfowl calling competition.

Not wanting to hold back and making the most of the opportunity before him, he entered all individual categories available to him.

He just missed the final of the open duck calling competition (open to anyone aged 17 and older) by one point to finish sixth, he then shifted his effort to the junior competition. 

After the first round he led the field, the second round became a tiebreaker, and this is where the Ritson enters the history books. 

Keeping up his sleeve his best routine, Ritson executed it perfectly to win the tiebreaker by 200 points and became the first Non-American to be crowned world duck calling champion! 

Ritson has won the New Zealand title for the past two years and began duck calling at age three, he started entering duck calling competitions as a nine-year-old. 

So good was his winning routine, he was accorded the honour of being “called” off the stage by all of the competitors, an honour normally reserved for the open champion.

Founded in 1976 the calling competition is part of a four day festival in honour of waterfowl, held annually.

With the United States being the world’s stronghold of duck calling, having a kiwi take out a championship title has been breaking news in the outdoor community. 

The competitors performed in front of over 600 people plus many thousands watched the event on the Outdoor channel and a live stream.