Angela Päetzel Bears
Germany

To receive an URSA Award in this competition is a great joy and great pride for me.

I am very glad that so many teddy lovers, my friends and relatives have supported me. I thank them for this!

And I am proud, because I had to compete with very worthy and creative masters. I am also grateful to them!

And of course many thanks to the organizers, especially Valerie! Your great optimism in such a difficult time
is inspiring.

I am very happy!

Best wishes and bear hugs
Angela

Bearcrafty

United Kingdom

For you all, the organiser of this show Valerie, my fans, my followers, my friends and family, and anyone else who has voted for my creations a simple Massive Thank You!

Words can not explain how I feel.
Five winners I had this year, its unbelievable.

A big smile from ear to ear and a jump up in the air shouting YES YES YES I'm a winner; the feeling you get when you get the eMail and see the results, honestly goes above everything.

The URSA Awards Competition is a confirmation that my work is appreciated while there is always that doubt “is it good enough?”
You have proven me it was again 'good enough'.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I send huge virtual hug to all of you.

Catharina

The Peach Peddler Bears
USA

There aren't words to adequately express just how grateful I am to be counted among the winners in the 2023 URSA competition.

Most of that gratitude is owed to Valerie Rogers for the timely encouragement to stay engaged with bear crafting and collectors through some very difficult times, both out in the world and in my own life.

Every bear maker wonders from time to time if there's a reason to keep creating; and Valerie occasionally reminds me,(in a gentle way, that it's about staying connected.

I sincerely appreciate everyone who supported the artists and voted for our bears.

To the artists and their bears, who participated in the URSA; it was an honor just being among you.

Yours Truly, Chris

Barboni Bears
Belgium

I send you my word of gratitude for being one of the winners.

I would like to thank everyone for their votes and support! This is what keeps me designing and loving what
I do!

It is such a great honour to once again be amongst the winners of this amazing URSA Awards Competition.
I can hardly explain in words how excited and happy I am!

I absolutely love creating, especially mythical creatures. So to be a finalist with my much beloved Fenrir is just amazing!

Forever grateful to everyone that made my dream come true!

A beary big hug xxx
Daniella

DiBears
USA

I am just so appreciative of all the collectors and friends that voted in the URSA Awards Competition.

There were so many lovely entries by everyone.

I had four entry’s that won, because you cared enough to vote for them!

I cannot say enough about the Teddy Bear community! Your support thru the years has been nothing short of amazing! I am humbled.

I appreciate you all so much!

A huge thank you to you!

We all keep going with your love and support.
Hugs, Diana

Gloria Handicraft Studio
Hong Kong

I would like to say 'Thank You' to
Ms. Valerie and the Bears&Buds team for all your hard work conducting the contest.

The URSA Awards Competition made my students so excited, designing their own entries, their willingness to enter, and they have learn something new.

Many students are preparing for the next year's URSA Awards Competition.

Thank you to all who voted for the students entries and for mine too.

Respectfully,
Gloria

LuLu Tatum Original Art

USA

I’m feeling so proud to be one of the winners in the 2023 URSA Awards Competition.

To be among so many wonderful entrees this year, is a very special moment indeed!

Thank you, to all of the voters in the wide World, and special thank you’s to all of my “Peeps”, who supported me and voted for Albert.

AND . . . Thanks to you Valerie,
for the great URSA Awards Completion. Yet another year well done!

Congratulations to all of you very talented Winners!

LuLu

Bearwares Bears

Canada

Thank you so much for sharing this exciting artist teddy bear celebration and for taking the time to vote.

With your votes you put so many talented artists into the URSA's winners circle, our pride and gratitude is immense.

Every artist is a winner just to be included in this wonderful world of affection and appreciation for our beloved teddy bear and I am so very grateful to be one of them.

My heartfelt thanks to all who participated in this event and to those who voted for Bearwares' cat named Mercy.

A very special thank you to Valerie and Bright Star Promotions for creating the opportunity for us to participate in the 2023 URSA Awards Competition and whose undaunted promotion of teddy bear love is inspirational.

Bear hugs, Lyn

Fred-i-Bear
South Africa

I am extremely proud that I have
won two URSA Awards.

Creating bears is a passion of mine and winning an award, keeps me motivated to carry on.

To each and every one who took the the time to vote for my work I send
a big, big thank you.

All this is made possible by Valerie Rogers who keeps the focus on the delightful world of teddy bears, and all the artists who entered, your work is amazing and makes the competition more difficult and interesting.

Bearest regards,
Lynette

Love Bears All Things
Australia

From the bottom of my heart l would like to thank all the voters and Bears&Buds for this incredible honour!

The URSA Awards Competition has evoked all sorts of emotions from excitable elation to feelings of inadequacy and intimidation.

To enter such a prestigious competition with so many wonderful entries was overwhelming!

I enter competitions so that they may encourage me to grow as an artist, and to be seen by a broader audience.

The URSA Awards Competition ticked these boxes with so much variety in styles, all made with love!

I am extremely grateful and humbled by this experience.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

With much love, Marnie

Holt Hill Bears
USA

I was beyond delighted to find out two of my entries had won URSA Awards!

This is an incredible celebration and congratulation to all the participants and winners with their fantastic creations.

Creating my bears is a big part of my life and I have an extraordinarily strong passion for the love of this art and thankful for the good Lord above giving me this creative talent.

I want to thank my family and friends for all their ongoing support with the hours I spend designing and creating.

I am so proud and humbled to be recognized among all the wonderful, talented competition artists.

Thanks to the organizers of the URSA Awards Competition and especially
to Valerie and Bear&Buds for this annual event.

Blessing to all and thank you again!

Warmest Bear Hugs, Michelle

Natalia Iunina

Fox-in-boX N

Germany

I want to sincerely thank all the dear viewers and my friends who voted for my little panda Lumi and the cat named Mister Oregin.

You have taken the time to support
us and it is very much appreciated.

It is a great honor for me to win,
as I was among such extraordinary and talented artists.

I am very excited and very happy.

Many thanks to the organizers of the URSA Awards Competition and especially to Valerie and Bears&Buds for the annual URSA. This is a real celebration for us during this difficult time.

Congratulations to all the winners and participants of the 2023 URSA Awards with their fantastic creations.

Please take care of yourself, friends, and be happy every minute!

Best wishes and bear hugs,
Natali

LeftyBears by Natascha
Germany

I would like to thank everybody who voted for little Ted.

I’m still overwhelmed by all the support I received from friends both online and in real life.

I would like to send a very special thank you to Valerie for supporting me when I was going through a hard time and almost gave up bear making for good.

I simply can’t live without bear making, so, I will definitely keep this wonderful hobby.

Finally, I would like to thank Keanu Reeves for being a most excellent model for a teddy bear.

Be excellent to each other and party on, dudes!

Natscha

Bear Hugs Originals

USA

How exciting it was when I opened the email and found out that I won two awards in the 2023 URSA Awards Competition.

My passion for teddy bears is my life and creating them brings me great joy. I love when they bring smiles to the faces of my collectors and I am so honored that my “Billy Blue” and “Whitney Watermelon” got so many votes.

A HUGE “thank you” from the bottom of my heart to all my loyal collectors, fans, family and friends for voting for them.

Congratulations to all of the winners this year. It was a tremendous honor for me to be among such amazing talents.

And to Valerie and everyone who helps organize the URSA Awards, for all your continued support and your countless hours behind the scenes, I thank you very much.

Wishing you all the beary best!

BIG Bearhugs, Sandra, xx

The Mountaineers

Germany

It's always a great feeling when one of my Mountainers has won an URSA Awards.

We only have you to thank for that.
A big thank you to everyone who took part in the voting.

I would also like to thank Valerie and her team for the effort and the great organization.

Congratulations to all participants and winners!

Beary hugs,
Silke & The MOUNTIs

Cash equivalent will be sent to her PayPal account

Our hat's
off to YOU!

910
Mr Onegin
Fox-in-boX

105
MouseFeathers
The Peach Peddler

908
Sir Puss
Love Bears All Things

406
Zelena
DiBears

903
Mercy Cat
Bearwares Bears

402
Patches & Caw
Holt Hill Bears

209

Isabelle

Evelyn Chan

Age 10

404
Pearl
Tori Chan

Age 8

906
Cinderella
Alice Cheng

Age 10

907

Kiki

Deborah Hei-Iam

Age 10

1004

Strawberry

Kong Yuet Ling

Age 8

1104

Charlie

Adele Chu

Age 10

1108

Flower

Yoyo Wan

Age 10

1207

Pinky

Rose Cheung

Age 8

We thank Ms. Gloria Chan, the student's teacher, who guided them through every step of bear making; drawing the pattern, cutting, sewing, jointing, stuffing, costume design and making. Who encourage the students to enter the prestigious URSA Awards Competition and compete in the highest level.  Well done!

Evelyn receives her URSA gold star pin and letter of encouragement.

209

Isabelle

Evelyn Chan

Age 10

Note reads: 

 Look for the URSA logo on the winner's web pages

and

Spot this lapel pin
on the winner's
jacket too!

Behind the scenes
at the URSA Award Competition headquarters!

<<Click on the curtain icon