Logger Sports

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Logger sports, also known as timber sports, were invented in the logging camps of British Columbia and the northern forests of the U.S. But today, they're just as likely to be found on ESPN or at a major regional fair, where hundreds of spectators gather to watch skilled athletes compete with razor-sharp axes and saws.

A hundred years ago or more, when things got slow in the remote logging camps of North America, the loggers engaged in a little friendly competition to pass the time.

They'd see who could throw a double-bit axe with the most accuracy. Or who could chop through a piece of wood fastest. Or who could climb to the top of a pole the quickest.

Bev Wilson is the secretary manager for Orofino Celebrations Inc. That's a logger sports show sanctioned by the American Lumberjack Association. "We're trying to keep alive what they did in the old days," she says.

The roster of events reflects both the old and the new. There are two-person events such as crosscut sawing and log rolling. And modern events like super-modified chainsaws. Then there are traditional events such as axe throwing, tree climbing and chair carving.

Some events are complex. During the springboard chop, contestants essentially have to chop their way to the top of a piece of wood.

Forming notches as they go, they insert wooden planks into the wood. They stand on the planks in order to cut a higher notch and insert a higher plank. Plank by plank, they eventually reach the top!

Those same events make up some of the logger sports contests held during the summer months. While logger sports are most common in areas where timber is an important part of the economy, some of the athletes who take home the prizes have never even seen a logging camp.

Top prizes at some fairs are $1,000. The Stihl Timbersports Series is a traveling series of contests. It divides $100,000 in cash and prizes among the best lumberjacks and lumberjills. Top competitors may also get endorsements.

In fact, the Stihl events and even some regional contests can draw competitors from around the world. Australia and New Zealand have produced lots of young logger sports talent.

However, most enthusiasts will tell you it's not about the money. In fact, after traveling to and from shows, most of the money made is spent before the lumberjacks even get home!

"For our world championship Jack and Jill sawing, first prize is $220 and then it goes to $170 and [then] $120," says Wilson.

"It's not a money-making thing. People do it because they like to do it. Some make a little bit of money, but they never make that much."

While fortune is hard to come by, fame is just around the corner for top lumberjacks. "If you can get good enough, where you can do the really big shows and get top honours, then you get on TV," says Wilson.

Professional lumberjacks travel from show to show. Professional logger sportsman Karl Bischoff says he's often away from home.

"This summer we fly to New York, Tennessee and Maine. That's for the Stihl series. Throughout the month of July, we just travel ... every weekend, going to our shows."

Traveling can be time-consuming, but it doesn't have to cost much. Lumberjacks are generally happy to squeeze another logger into the pickup truck. "They throw in 10 bucks for gas and down the road we go," says Bischoff.

You can also save money by pitching a tent during the shows.

Most logger sports competitors and fans simply enjoy the thrill of competition and the camaraderie among people who like the sport. Competitions are usually held in areas where logging is an important industry or at major events, such as fairs.

"I think the one big thing is the atmosphere of the whole thing," says Wilson. "I mean, everybody just gets so excited....I think that's even more important than the sport itself."

The pros usually come from a long line of lumberjacks. Local events often feature teams made up of siblings, fathers, sons and daughters.

The original logging camps may have been made up of all men. But today's logger sports include entire families. Everyone gets involved, from little girls ("lumberjills") to weathered old men ("lumberjacks").

"We have two Jack sawyers and they started out when they were five and seven. Their dad's done the circuit for quite a while and their mom does axe throwing and sawing," says Wilson.

In addition to the serious professionals and easygoing amateurs, there are many college teams for both men and women. Some teams travel across North America to compete in logger sports events.

Most logger sports contests now require competitors to wear protective gear such as special chaps that will stop a chainsaw chain. But the sport is still considered very dangerous. The most common injuries are cuts to the feet and legs from axes.

Getting Started

Be patient. Give yourself a chance to be a beginner before you're swinging blades with the brawniest of loggers. Rushing your way into a sport that involves heavy axes and the most powerful chainsaws in the world is not wise. According to Bischoff, injuries are rare but severe.

Getting started in logger sports requires lots of practice. One of the best events to start with is the axe-throwing contest. That requires a double-bit axe -- they cost about $80 -- and a four-foot-wide target at which to aim from 20 feet away.

But be warned: it can take thousands of throws before you become an expert at this one event.

And if you get serious about the sport, you can expect to invest even more. A good two-man crosscut saw, which is usually hand-sharpened by one of a handful of North American experts, can cost around $1,000.

And a so-called "hot saw" -- chainsaws with motorcycle engines or engines that run on jet fuel or alcohol -- can cost twice that amount.

Get to know someone involved in the sport. Most professional contacts and show organizers are listed through the American Lumberjack Association. Lumberjacks and lumberjills are renowned for their jovial personalities. They're generally happy to lend a hand to newcomers.

Contact your local forestry division or the American Lumberjack Association for upcoming workshops and local contacts.

Education

Here is just a sample of schools that offer related training:

Texas Forestry Association
Pro Logger Accreditation Program
P.O. Box 1488
Lufkin , TX   75902-1488
USA
Internethttp://www.texasforestry.org/2006%20Cont%20Ed%20op
portunities%20for%20Texas%20Pro%20Loggers.htm

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia SHARP Logger Program
Cheatham Hall
Blacksburg , VA   24061
USA
Internethttp://www.sharplogger.vt.edu/

Associations

American Lumberjack Association
Internethttp://www.americanlumberjacks.com/

Publications

North American Axeman's News
911 Somerset Dr.
Charleston , WV   25302
USA
Internethttp://www.starinfo.com/ljguide/ljguide2.html#axem
ens

Links

North American Lumberjack Guide
Links to specific contests and world-record results

Indian River Olde Time Lumberjack Show
An exhibition of talented lumberjacks and jills

Stihl Timbersports Series
A big-money series of contests

Chainsaw Safety
Develop chainsaw smarts

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