World-traveling Hungarian hunter Béla Hidvégi received the Weatherby Prize, referred to as the "Nobel Prize" of hunting and nature conservation, in Dallas, USA.
Béla Hidvégi's name is synonymous with maintaining the value of hunting
Born in Nagyszénás in 1936, Béla Hidvégi emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1956. An avid hunter, he has captured numerous world record trophies on five continents while doing much to protect wildlife, preserve nature and preserve the value of hunting.
He donated his trophy collection of several hundred pieces to the Hungarian Museum of Natural Sciences, which lent the collection for an indefinite period to the Festetics Castle Museum in Keszthely and the Forestry Museum in Sopron.
His trophy collection is legendary
Its trophy collection, covering the wildlife of five continents, is one of the richest and most spectacular museum collections of its kind in the world. His collection contains more than one hundred and eighty specimens developed in full life size and exhibited in lifelike surroundings. Hidvégi's role in the education of young generations, beginner hunters and future professionals, as well as in wide dissemination of knowledge, is also extremely significant. It is also exemplary for experienced hunters.
In addition to several international hunting awards, Béla Hidvégi is now the holder of all three of the most important international hunting awards.
He received the Pantheon Award in 2016, the Conklin Award in 2021, and now he received the Weatherby Award.
In 2013, he received the Officer's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit in recognition of his work up to that point.
About the Weatherby Award
The Weatherby Award is awarded annually for outstanding achievement and life's work in the field of hunting and nature conservation. The goal of the awarding Weatherby Foundation is to educate youth and the non-hunting public about the beneficial role of ethical hunting and its contribution to wildlife conservation.
Zoltán Kovács, Secretary of State for International Communications and Relations, was also present at the Weatherby Foundation's award ceremony in Dallas. The politician praised the activities of Béla Hidvégi, who was the first Hungarian to receive the award. He also highlighted: for a Hungarian person, the news that Béla Hidvégi has been chosen as the 2023 Weatherby Prize winner,
it's like a third Nobel Prize in a year.
Featured image: Béla Hidvégi Foundation's Facebook page
