Rigby Dagga Boy Award III Updated Rules And Conditions For 2025-2026 Season

To participate in the Rigby Dagga Boy Award, hunters are invited to share their entries electronically by emailing a detailed hunt report, along with photos of qualifying buffalo bulls taken during the eligible hunting period to daggaboy@johnrigbyandco.com. Your entry could make a significant contribution to buffalo conservation efforts, so don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of our mission

Eligible buffalo criteria​

Buffalo bulls only: No cows from any buffalo species are eligible, only bulls that have surpassed breeding age.

Wild and free-ranging requirements: Bulls must come from self-sustaining herds and be hunted in an ethical, fair chase, track, walk-and-stalk manner. The term “wild and free-ranging” signifies that these buffalo populations depend solely on their natural environment for sustenance.

Acceptable practices:

• Concession operators may enhance water supply by drilling wells or building dams
• Disposal of old, used salt from skinning sheds at the conclusion of hunting season (offering no nutritional value to wildlife).

Prohibited: Managed Populations

Bulls from ranched, captive-bred, artificially managed, handled, sold, or traded populations are ineligible regardless of geographical location, size, or fencing. Additionally, buffalo populations receiving any form of nutritional assistance during the year are considered ‘managed’ and therefore not eligible. This includes:

• Access to improved pastures
• Hay or alfalfa
• Protein supplements
• Mineral licks or complex mineral mixtures
• Any supplementation to maintain body condition, enhance reproductive performance, or improve growth rate

Special Note on South African Buffalo: Strict criteria apply to ensure only genuinely wild and free-ranging buffalo from truly “open” areas are eligible for entry.

Predation Requirement: Buffalo hunted on properties where there are no naturally occurring, free-living large predators are not eligible for entry, regardless of country.

Old dagga boys: The emphasis will be on ‘old’ and ‘broken-horned’ bulls who have surpassed breeding age.

Hunting season: Bulls must have been hunted between 1st January 2025 and 30th November 2026.

Submission deadline: Entries must be submitted by email before 30th November, 2026.

Judging criteria and 21-point scoring system​

All entries will be reviewed by a distinguished panel of judges with extensive expertise in buffalo hunting and conservation. The panel includes:

• Dr. Kevin ‘Doctari’ Robertson
• Professional Hunter Robin Hurt
• Professional Hunter Buzz Charlton
• Ranger Richard Sowry
• Rigby’s managing director, Marc Newton

Each judge will individually evaluate all qualifying entries using the following scoring system:

1. Age of the bull (6 points maximum)

Factors considered in determining signs of age include:

• Boss development/wear/hardness
• Horn tip position and sharpness or lack thereof
• Degree of muscling in the neck and shoulder region
• Overall body colour
• Ear condition
• Facial markings
• Development of chinlap
• Degree of wear of the lower jaw’s two first molar teeth (critical aging indicator)

2. Character of the bull (5 points maximum)

Assessment of the bull’s physical characteristics, trophy quality, and overall presence as a mature dagga boy.

3. The hunt (5 points maximum)

Evaluation of the effort, skill, and ethical approach taken to secure such a quality bull, including hunting conditions and challenges overcome.

4. The story (5 points maximum)

Assessment of how well the hunting experience is written and presented, including detail, clarity, and engagement (800-1000 words).

Total maximum score: 21 points

Individual judges’ scores are totalled for a final score, with the highest total score determining the winner.

Final authority: Judges’ decisions are final and no discussion on the results will be accepted. All applicants must acknowledge and agree to this condition upon entry.

Competition Details​

Eligible Species:

Wild, naturally occurring, free-ranging, and ‘unmanaged’ buffalo bulls from all Syncerus species are eligible for entry, including:

• Cape/Southern
• East African Savannah
• Central African Savannah
• West African Savannah
• Dwarf Forest

Winner’s prize: Rigby .416 Big Game rifle

Professional Hunter prize: Rigby .450 PH rifle (for the PH who guided the winning hunter)

Announcement: The winner will be announced on the Rigby booth at the 2027 Dallas Safari Club

Convention. (TBC)

Submission

Entries should be submitted electronically to daggaboy@johnrigbyandco.com

Mandatory submission requirements

Required photographs: All entries must be accompanied by electronically supplied, good quality photographs

including:

Hunter and buffalo:

• Photos of the hunter with their buffalo
• Full body shots of the buffalo

Critical age assessment photos (mandatory):

• Good quality side-on photos (at eye level) of each side of the cleaned lower jaw, clearly showing the crown heights of the first molars (third tooth from the rear)
• ‘From-the-front’ photos of the lower jaw incisor teeth
• Photos of the ears and overall body condition

Important: Failure to provide the required lower jaw photographs will result in an automatic deduction of two points from the entry’s total score. This penalty emphasises the critical importance of these photos for accurate age assessment.

Hunt details

Entrants must provide:

• Name and contact details of the Professional Hunter who guided the hunt
• Name and contact details of the outfitter
• Detailed description of where the hunt took place (specific location/concession)
• Detailed description of when the hunt took place (dates)

Hunt story

The “story” of the hunt is a crucial part of the application and judging process. A detailed description of the effort and experiences that resulted in the hunting of such an old bull is essential. Note: Please keep submissions concise and focused to ensure fair evaluation across all entries.

Conservation and research purpose

An important aspect of the Rigby Dagga Boy Award is to collect ‘age’ data from all African countries where free-living buffalo naturally occur, enabling determination of their ‘look,’ ‘character,’ and predicted life expectancy across different regions and populations.

Terms and Conditions​

Publication rights

Entrants must agree to allow their photos and stories to be printed in a magazine/book/online format should this be deemed worthy at a later date.

Prize conditions

By entering the award, winners agree not to sell their prizes and to enjoy using them for their intended purpose. Failure to comply with this condition will result in disqualification from entering any future Rigby competitions.

Entry agreement

By submitting an entry, participants acknowledge they have read, understood, and agree to all rules and conditions, including that judges’ decisions are final and not subject to discussion or appeal.

How to enter

To enter, submit your complete entry electronically to daggaboy@johnrigbyandco.com. Ensure all required elements are included for your entry to be considered. We look forward to receiving your submissions and making a positive impact together.

This award celebrates the conservation of Africa’s magnificent buffalo while honouring the tradition of ethical hunting and the pursuit of true dagga boy buffalo bulls.