Will Hayden Memorial “Decorative Carving Award”
Best of Show Chosen From All Novice & Intermediate Entries
Will Hayden June 14, 2026 - September 20, 2026
Sponsored by Dick and Judy Caldwell
Will was not only a founding father of the Feather & Quill club, but he spearheaded the first Columbia Flyway Show in 1988.
Will and his wife Kay spent over 30 years carving and were well known for their beautiful bird carvings. In addition, Will was an accomplished caricature carver and taught many classes.
Will was very proud of being inducted into the very prodigious Caricature Carver of America in 1996.
Will also served as President, Show Chairman, and many other duties in multiple clubs in the carving world.
Will was a mentor, teacher, guidance counselor, and when necessary, master sergeant to a multitude of students. He contributed to many artists’ careers and everyone who was lucky enough to come under his influence, looks back with gratitude and knows just how lucky they are to have known Will.
Will was born and raised in Virginia and North Carolina. He came to the Pacific Northwest when he was assigned to Vancouver Barracks at Fort Vancouver. Will Hayden served in the Army for 20 years as a soldier and medic in the Korean War and Viet Nam War. After retiring from the military, he worked for the Vancouver School District for 20 years.
Don Baiar Memorial “Mini-Floating Decoy Trade”
1943 - August 5, 2026
Don Baiar was born in 1943 in Spokane, Washington. He passed in 2021 in Vancouver Washington.
Don was also one of the Feather & Quill Carving Club. founding fathers and helped produce the first show the club held. He and a handful of other members soon started offering carving classes which helped the club to grow.
Don's love for carving started early. He started whittling in his childhood and never stopped. He began teaching woodshop in Washougal Washington in the mid-1960s and began teaching woodcarving classes in the late 1980s. These classes offered in his home shop continued for over 30 years. They were so popular you had to wait months, sometimes even years before a spot would become available.
Don's specialty was highly detailed bird carvings. His carving, painting, and skilled composition made him one of the most awarded carvers in the Northwest. He was instrumental in promoting the art of woodcarving by organizing club booths at other carving shows as well as the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen Show each February. Many new members and students became passionate carvers both entering or attending the annual Columbia Flyway Wildlife show each fall. Don had been both Show Chairman and President of the Feather and Quill Carving Club.
In his honor, the Don Baiar Memorial “Mini-Floating Decoy Trade” contest has been named after him,
Division M. Don Baiar Memorial Contest Mini Floating Decoy Trade
The decoy must be self-right. No keel is necessary, must have an anchor attachment. No restrictions on detail, style, or carving material. Awards: Ribbons, 1st $75 2nd $50, 3rd $25 1st place gets first pick, then 2nd place gets to pick, then 3rd place. Others draw a number to pick. You cannot pick your own decoy. Open to all.
MFD Gadwall Drake 6” maximum length, breast to tail
Byrn Watson Memorial “Best of Show” Award
July 18, 2026 – February 19, 2026
Byrn was born in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. His father was a plumber who moved the family of five, abruptly and frequently, to wherever the work was on the West Coast. They finally landed in Oregon, where he attended Eugene High School and then Oregon State University.
Byrn whittled his whole life, he always had a knife in his pocket. One day he was browsing in a used bookstore and came upon a small book “How to Carve a Decoy”. He said,” I could do that” and he did.
While living in California in the 1970s he and his wife, JoAnne, visited the California Open show, run by Pacific Southwest Wildfowl Arts, which inspired him to learn how to carve decoys.
They joined Pacific Southwest Wildfowl Arts and throughout the next 25 years Byrn served in many club activities, particularly the California Open in San Diego.
When Byrn retired from his career in the construction industry, he joined the International Wildfowl Carvers Association shortly after it began, and subsequently became Treasurer and then President. During this time, he attended and competed in shows in Canada, England, and all over the U.S.
When they moved to Washington State, they looked for a local show and found the Feather and Quill Carvers and the Columbia Flyway Show. At the first meeting, they attended the club was voting not to have a show. Byrn said, “Don’t do that, we will help”. They agreed. The rest is history. He knew how and he did.
Byrn did not become one of the world’s great carvers, but he loved It and encouraged others to embrace the art form. His talent was in the promotion of the art of the decoy. He was an ideas man, always creating opportunities to promote wildfowl carving and find a new way to carve a decoy.
Byrn received many awards for his contributions to wildlife carving and would have been honored to know that there is now a Best of Show award in his name.
Helen Foster Memorial “Songbird Award”
1935 –2019
Helen Foster was born in California. As a young girl Helen, she and her sisters performed on the gospel music circuit. After she retired, she moved to Vancouver, Washington. It was here she started carving shorebirds and fell in love with songbirds. Helen volunteered for numerous jobs for Feather & Quill carving club.