Emily Meehan
– Friday March 8th, 8 – 9:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Emily Meehan is a 24-year-old Kinesiologist working in the field of Recreation as a coach for children with Autism and other diverse needs. She spends her summers racing Legend cars across the Maritimes, and occasionally the United States. Emily started racing when she was 10-years-old and has stuck with the sport as she has moved her way into adulthood. When she isn’t at the track, or in the shop she can often be found curled up with her dog Roxy completing her online Masters in ABA Therapy or working out and running her online fitness business.
Carole Fisher
– Friday March 8th, 3 – 4:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Hometown: Glenholme, Nova Scotia Canada
Carole has been riding snowmobiles since she was holding onto the handlebars with her dad driving in the late 1970’s and early 80’s. She sleds with 3 generations of her family on trips all over Nova Scotia. She trail rides anywhere she can in Atlantic Canada, Eastern USA, Quebec etc. She is a Coordinator of NSYS- Nova Scotia Youth Snowmobilers group enjoying the passion and love of snowmobiling with the next generation and she has been fortunate to be a DSG Ambassador & Sponsor Rider for 5 Winters. DSG Outerwear is a company from Wisconsin USA that sells ladies snowmobile gear and outerwear designed by women made to fit all sizes. Carole and her husband Adam were the first couple to receive “Couple of the Year” award from the Snowmobile Association of Nova Scotia- SANS for their volunteer efforts at snowmobile clubs, races, events, committee, trail building and maintenance etc. She currently rides a 2018 Skidoo Renegade Backcountry 146. When she can’t play in the white powder she enjoys her Harley, classic cars, 4 wheeler or boating in the summertime at the cottage on the lake in Westchester Mountain. Carole and her husband own an excavation company and manufacture an excavator attachment. She grew up in the forestry and construction industry, her family enjoys all four seasons spending time together outside. She has 7 nieces that she taught to snowmobile, downhill ski and skate so they can enjoy winter together!
Julie Towers
– Friday March 8th, 3 – 4:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Julie Towers is a wildlife biologist that became addicted to pointing dogs during graduate research on grouse. She is an original member of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) Bluenose Chapter in Nova Scotia (1993), a judge (2005), a senior judge (2015) and a member / chair of NAVHDA International’s Youth Committee since 2017. As a judge, she travels to many states and provinces to judge field trials of 33 recognized pointing breeds that are required to point, track and retrieve on land and in water. Her dogs are used for hunting, field tests, and at educational events such as public demonstrations, youth camps and Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshops. jtowersns@gmail.com
Kelly Countway
– Friday March 8th, 3 – 4:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
– NS Women that Hunt
Kelly has been a Financial Coordinator for the province of Nova Scotia for the past 16 years. Her passion is being President of the Nova Scotia Women That Hunt Non-Profit. She started hunting 4 years ago and it has changed her perspective on food, the importance of wildlife, wildlife management and living a more self-sustaining life style. She feels truly fortunate in such a short time to experience hunts many may wait a lifetime for. She is continually learning, growing, and obtaining more exposure so she can better serve the mission and vision of the Women That Hunt. info@womenthathunt.com
Major Rhonda Matthews
– Friday March 8th, 3 – 4:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Major Rhonda Matthews is an Army Reservist with the Princess Louise Fusiliers, Halifax’s infantry Regiment. Major Matthews has over 20 years of military experience including two operational tours in Afghanistan. In Kandahar, Major Matthews gained a wide variety of experience working with her Regular Force Infantry peers, Afghan Government departments and agencies to improve the economy, security and resiliency among communities and districts. Currently, she is a Company Commander with the PLF responsible for training 70 infanteers. Some infantry training includes: Live fire ranges for various small arm and medium range weapons; Tactical field training such as attacks, patrols and defensive scenarios; Mountain Operations and Pioneer tasks which involves explosives, breaching (breaking into things), and fortification (preventing anyone from breaking in) tasks; as well as responding to civil emergencies in Nova Scotia, such as Hurricane Juan. Major Matthews resides with her family in Bedford and currently works as an Emergency Management Planning Officer, in the Department of Municipal Affairs Emergency Management Office (EMO) for the Government of Nova Scotia.
Shannon Read
– Friday March 8th, 4 – 5:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Shannon is a lifelong multisport “athlete” with artistic tendencies. She adores spending time in outdoor spaces – land and water! From an early age this “Extreme Preschool Adventurer” could be found outdoors at the crack of dawn and often times hard to find at the end of the day. Shannon thinks of an athletic person as anyone who is trained or skilled in sports or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina. Shannon enjoys entering occasional competitions and most recently “competed” in the ITU World’s for Long Distance Triathlon but gets far more joy out of coaching others to discover their own “athlete within” at any age or stage of life. Shannon’s participation and leadership in sport and recreation include both career and community roles, including significant community development projects such as Cape Chignecto Provincial Park, Wolfville Bike Skills Park & Trails, and the Harvest Moon Trailway. Serving as a Municipal Physical Activity Leader for 6 years she was also recognized for developing innovative programs and a stand out Physical Activity Strategy. Shannon’s new ventures include her coaching business (akt3coaching.com) and the Keji Multisport Festival which includes both women’s only and open (mixed) events in triathlon, aqua bike as well as an opportunity to try non competitive outdoor sports at Kejimikujik National Park in September. Supporting training camps and workshops include activities at the South Shore Expo, May 3-5, 2019.
Cara “Scorpion” Fritz
– Friday March 8th, 7 – 9:00 pm Main Arena
Cara is the Axe Master General of Bury the Hatchet (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania). She is the highest ranking female thrower in WATL US Open 2018, Lady Blade and is the first and only female member of the WATL Council. She is Miss April for both the Competitive Women of Axe Throwing 2019 and the Professional Women of Axe Throwing 2019 Calendars. Come see Cara and her axe tricks in action at the Axe vs Bows event on Friday March 8th at 7 pm in the main arena. Cara will be available to meet, greet and sign autographs at the Halimac booth on Saturday March 9th from 1-2 pm and she is also in WATL competition throughout the weekend!
Angela Kendrick
– Friday March 8th, 3 – 4:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Angela’s earliest memories of fishing were walking through a cow pasture to get to the river with her Mom, Dad and brothers when she was around five years old. She remembers tipping over cow patties on the way to collect worms. Her family moved and then she would fish off the wharves for whatever she could catch. As a teenager she started also being interested in hunting, anything to spend time outdoors. Angela became a Scout leader in 1995 when her daughter joined and she hasn’t looked back. Currently she is a bookkeeper, who fishes Bass tournaments from June to October, goes Deer hunting in November, takes kids camping in the winter, spring, summer, and fall. She has been going to fishing tournaments for 20 years! Angela has fished with most of the NS tournament anglers both at home and away. She says, “going away to a tournament is a great time and such a learning experience and challenge”.
Amanda Lynn Mayhew
Friday March 8th 7 – 8 pm;
Saturday March 9th 12 – 1 pm & 7 – 8 pm;
Sunday March 10th 12 – 1pm Seminar Pavilion
Amanda Lynn is one tough outdoorswoman and a product of Northern Ontario, a small town called Manitouwadge, (where she grew up Playing in the Extreme) who now resides in Southern Ontario and is the HOST of JUST HUNT® which airs on WILD PURSUIT NETWORK. This young woman has proved her worth as an athlete, inspirational speaker, angler, power sports enthusiast and a hunter whose mission it is to preserve our hunting and fishing heritage.
Amanda Lynn’s above average success rates for her DIY hunts are impressive, most hunters’ hunt 30+ years to harvest animals that Amanda Lynn has been fortunate to hunt and harvest. Although not a trophy hunter in terms of inches and skulls, she enjoys sharing her trophies which represent memories, and adventures. Amanda Lynn founded the Range Day and Take Me Outreach Programs, designed to help new adventurers get out there and get started.
Amy Tudor – Friday March 8th, 1 – 2 pm & 8 – 9 pm Seminar Pavilion
Amy Tudor is a whale watching interpreter and wildlife photographer with the #1 rated Mariner Cruises Whale and Seabird tours out of Brier Island NS. She shares her love of outdoors and wildlife with guests aboard the MV Chad & Sisters Two during the tour season (June-Oct) and continues to share her wildlife and outdoor experiences via her many media channels year round. She is a university educated, mother of 3 school aged children, and a proud fishermen’s wife living on the tiny Brier Island (population 176 people). She is of the most prolific landscape and wildlife photographer/ videographer in the South West Nova Scotia area. The content she creates is often watched and picked up by media outlets for it’s fun and educational look at the life and wildlife around the Bay of Fundy.
Besides her wildlife and online media work, Amy is as well, the editor for the local 24 page monthly newsletter Passages and a just started freelance with Saltwire Media.
She is an award winning community volunteer who uses her skills for nearly all of the community groups and organization in her area.
Here are a few of the stories I really like and links to my media channels of which I am either sole contributor or major content creator.
www.facebook.com/Mariner.Cruises/
www.facebook.com/brierisland/
www.facebook.com/BrierIslandLodge/
www.novascotiawhalewatching.ca/
Shelby Dean – Friday March 8th, 8 – 9 pm Seminar Pavilion
Shelby was born and raised in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Before she started work as a Fishery Officer with the Federal Government in 2017, she worked for a local environmental non-governmental organization, the Pictou County Rivers Association (PCRA), for almost ten years. Her time with the PCRA helped focus her passion and drive for environmental conservation and protection, specifically fish habitat. She graduated in May of 2015 with her Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) degree with a major in Environmental Science from Dalhousie University’s Agricultural Campus. Shelby enjoys birding, hiking, and spending time outdoors; even living full-time in my RV off-grid for the summer.
Marijke Nel
Marijke Nel is a South African-born Canadian, who has been living in Canada for ten years as a full-time tennis instructor. She came to Canada as the flyhalf of the South African National Women‘s Rugby Team (Springboks) at the Women‘s Rugby World Cup in Edmonton, 2006. Since becoming a Canadian citizen, she represented Canada at the Young Seniors Tennis World Championships, held in Cape Town, South Africa in 2017.Marijke was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2018 and has recently completed a 6-month treatment regime. She has a positive prognosis and believes that, although cancer is a life-altering disease, it can give one the opportunity to effect positive changes in one‘s own life and in the lives of those around you. She feels compelled to help other cancer fighters and their loved ones, so she aims to ride a dirt bike in the Corduroy Enduro, “Canada‘s Toughest Race” in September 2019, as part of a campaign to raise funds and awareness for the work of the Canadian Cancer Society.
Michelle Brown – Friday March 8th, 3 – 4:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Michelle Brown is a 31 year old who graduated from NSCC with her Practical Nursing Diploma in 2011. Michelles’ love for the outdoors started at a very young age when she began camping at Keji when she was only 3 years old. Her interest continued to grow at 7 years old she began snaring rabbits. This is when her passion for the sport of hunting truly began. Michelle is now an avid deer and duck hunter. Her love for the great outdoors and devotion for hunting has made her into a respectful and ethical hunter. At the age of 16 she began working at Lequille Country Store as a cashier, slowly making her way up to being the head of Human Resources and the gun department where she has gained valuable knowledge in hunting and fishing. She continues to work there and share her acquired knowledge with novice and expert hunters and fisherman. Lequille Country Store is the premier sponsor of the Nova Shoot Series; a sporting clay target event held at multiple gun clubs in Nova Scotia, where the proceeds are given back to the participating gun clubs to help keep the sporting clay events alive. Michelle has been a key player in the organizing of the series for 10 years. She always supports and encourages new shooters while introducing them to the sport. Michelle is now a mom and enjoys sharing her passion for being outside with her young son. Lequille Country Store 902.532.5362
Laura Simmons – Friday March 8th, 8 – 9:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Laura’s first ride was on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in 1981. Three weeks later, her second ride was a Honda 125 on her way to get her motorcycle licence, in an era when women riders were few and far between. Many years later, and still riding, Laura regularly attended the Wharf Rat Rally with her husband Ken and became the Rally’s first full-time employee in 2012. Two of their kids now ride, and it’s not unusual to have the whole family volunteering at the Wharf Rat Rally. A consummate event planner, Laura spends her spare time planning parties and dinners, trying to nail it with cupcakes.
Dr. Emma Slater – Friday March 8th, 8 – 9:00 pm Seminar Pavilion
Dr. Emma Slater moved to Nova Scotia in 1995 to attend Dalhousie university. After graduating with a Bachelor of science she worked in medical research before moving to Prince Edward Island to attend the Atlantic veterinary college. Dr Slater graduated in 2005 and moved back to Halifax and started working as a small animal veterinarian.Dr. Slater now lives with her husband and step daughter, 3 dogs and flock of heritage laying hens in Halifax. Dr. Slater acquired her first ATV in 2017 and joined the safety minded ATV association. She and her husband enjoy club activities and riding all year round on the many amazing trails around Nova Scotia.