Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
A contestant in last year's logging show participates in the ax-throwing competition.
The Mason County Forest Festival is hosting the Men's Open Super Six and the Women's Featured Four logging competitions at 1 p.m. Saturday at Loop Field in Shelton.
According to Forest Festival board president Mick Sprouffske, the opening ceremony is at 12:45 p.m. The men's competition will feature six events, including three chopping events - the springboard chop, standing block chop and the underhand chop, and three sawing events - the single buck, stocksaw and hotsaw competitions. The women's competitions will have four events in the standing block chop, underhand chop, stocksaw and single buck.
The event was a STIHL Timbersports Regional Qualifier last year but is not this year, although STIHL is an event sponsor, according to Sprouffske.
The men's and women's timber athletes will be competing for a first-place prize of $200 to $25 for the sixth-place finisher.
Another group of competitors that will compete in the tree climbing, tree topping, birling and ax-throw competitions. The winner of each competition will range from $150 for the winner to $25 for fifth place.
"This event wouldn't happen without a lot of community support from all of the Mason County Forest Festival volunteers, our sponsors, to the City of Shelton," Sproufske wrote in an email to the Journal. "I can't thank all of them enough for all the support. This is going to be a great logging show this year. There is a good mix of dedicated veteran, intermediate and beginning athletes in both the men's and women's division."
Sprouffske said the big names competing this year are Kate Page of Hepner Oregon, Jessica Karracker of Ellensburg, Becky Smyth of Hansville, Mike Forrester of Glide, Oregon, David Moses of Snoqualimie, Colin Towne of Centralia, Walt Page of Tollhouse, California, and Bate Hodges of North Fork, California.
The chainsaw-carving exhibition won't happen this year, but more than 40 vendors will be at Loop Field, including Smokey Bear at the state Department of Natural Resources booth. DNR is launching its Wildfire Ready Neighbors program. Sprouffske said he recommends people bring ear plugs if they have sensitive hearing, and if it is a sunny day, a hat and sunscreen are recommended.
Reader Comments(0)