STIHL Timbersports Competition Comes to Cooperstown

Over the weekend of June 7th and 8th we took a short road trips to Cooperstown. Wightman Lumber helped sponsor the first Cooperstown Lumberjack Legacy Stehl Timbersports competition. 

The weather was amazing, the backdrop of Otsego Lake was beautiful, and the event was fun to watch. Plans are already being made to hold the event again next year at the Lake Front Park in Cooperstown. 

Visit our Face Book page to view the photo album of the event. You might know some of the local competitors.

A recap of the different events (taken from the Stehl ...webpage) included on Saturday for local competition and Sunday for the Northeast US Qualifier, one of 4 qualifiers in the nation follows: 

Events included

Hot Saw
In this discipline, the competitor uses a customized chain saw with a modified engine, usually taken from a personal watercraft or snowmobile.

Single Buck
The competitor makes one cut through 19 inches of white pine using a single man cross-cut saw. The competitor may have a helper wedge his cut into the log to prevent the saw teeth from sticking.

Standing Block Chop
Mimicking the felling of a tree, the competitor races to chop through 12 to 14 inches of vertical white pine.

Underhand Chop
The competitor stands with feet apart on a 12- to 14-inch white pine log. At the signal, he begins to chop through the log with his racing axe.

Springboard Chop
A discipline based on the need for old-time loggers to establish a cutting platform above the massive root bases of old growth trees, the competitor uses an axe to chop pockets into a 9-foot poplar pole and then place 6-inch wide springboard platforms into the pockets.