Fresh from victory on the world stage, Holly Irvine's spending her glory days back at school.
The 13-year-old had been away competing at the 41st World Waterfowl Calling Championships in Easton, Maryland in the US, described as the capital of goose hunting.
It's the second time the Nelson schoolgirl's performed there, aiming for top five on the junior duck calling table.
"I came in the top three and I just felt very overwhelmed… that I was actually there and I had to pinch myself a bit," Holly says.
The competition involves making a range of calling techniques that best imitate the sound of a duck.
Her male counterpart, Hunter Morrow, was just a breath away from first place in the open duck division, and placed third for live goose calling.
NZ Duck Calling Championship organiser Adam Rayner says the pair is helping boost the sport's profile in New Zealand.
"No one outside America's finished this high ever so it's the best for us and the best for them," he said.
But while participation is on the rise; Holly is, quite literally, in a field of her own.
She was the only female to compete in this year’s world championship and the "only girl that has ever placed".
She hopes more girls will take up the sport in the future, but is confident the new competition won’t threaten her chances of success.
"Next year I'll be number one".
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