high country log show 2013 - Northern Kittitas County Tribune

B08 THURSDAY, SEPT. 5, 2013 ♦ NKC TRIBUNE
HIGH COUNTRY LOG SHOW 2013
Log show upset:
by Jim Fossett
jim@nkctribune.com
HIGH COUNTRY LOGGING SHOW’S BULL OF THE WOODS 2013 Jeff Fetter (right) of Buckley,
shown with son Arthur who also competed in the show. Arthur picked up five awards of his own, including a First Place in the Hooktender teaming with his dad.
NORTHERN KITTITAS COUNTY lumberjack
and wildland firefighter Ethan Wilson in the
stock saw bucking contest.
ROSLYN – Ben and
Lindsey Flowers and a
long list of supporters celebrated lumberjacks over
fifty years of age for their
role in dominating the
podium at this city’s annual
High Country Logging
Show.
Saturday, Aug. 31 the
map portraying the character of the great Pacific
Northwest got a little extra
ink on the letters that spell
out Roslyn’s name. Why?
Large, cheering crowds and
a spirited competition that
seemed to say this event
has grown from seed to
sapling at a rate beyond
what stakeholders ever expected.
“Everyone had a lot of
fun,” Ben said. “It drew
hundreds of people to town
which is good for business.
“Another bit of good
news this year is that the
board responsible for making this happen – is growing.”
He wasn’t exaggerating
about the turnout.
By noon on Saturday,
August 31, just after the
show kicked off at Roslyn
City Park, there wasn’t a
parking space to be had in
the downtown area.
“No parking spots available?” smiled Mayor Neal
Lockett. “That can be a
good thing, too.”
Commenting on the
sheer number of visitors in
Roslyn over the weekend,
Dick Watts said, “This is
exactly what we need.”
New to the show this
year and adding a measurable level of crowd-pleasing
entertainment
was
a
squared pool of water with
two skinny logs anchored
on the ground, leaned on
the rim and angled four
feet above the surface.
Competitors had to
walk their way upward
along the incline to a very
shaky tip, bend over, set a
choker, and then wobble
their way back down.
More than one wound
up in the drink to the sound
of a cheering crowd. The
dunking seemed to provide
loggers with a welcomed reprieve from 70-degree sunlight baking the arena
Saturday and Sunday.
Bulls of the Woods
Two of the top three finishers this year are wily
veterans of the logging industry who have earned
their membership in the
half-century club. With a
smile worthy of a lumberjack tested by time spent in
the woods, Third Place finisher Richard Glaves of
Cle Elum, 53, summed up
what it means in one
quote: “I ain’t as good as I
once was, but I’m as good
BACK TOGETHER FOR THE COMPETITION were Cle Elum’s Zapel brothers (L-R) Cory, Kyle, Jason
and Tim. This time around Cory and Tim competed. Tim placed second in the wrapper toss.
BUCKLEY’S JACOB STARKEY, 27, came in second for overall
performance placing in five events. He won Bull of the Woods in
2011.
THORP’S JAKE
LIND, son of legendary lumberjack
Spike Lee, placed
in three contests.
Spike emceed the
show kicking it off
with this weather
report: “Welcome
folks. Brace yourselves. Six inches
of sawdust in the
forecast today.”
ONCE as I ever was.”
Keep in mind, to earn
one of the top three awards
contestants had to compete in every single contest
scheduled over the two-day
competition, including the
80-foot pole climb, an exercise for which loggers
spike their way upward –
on a wing and a prayer –
and ring a bell at the very
top of the pole.
Each contestant was
timed for speed and though
experts seemed to cover
the distance with ease – it’s
not as simple and straightforward as they made it
look.
A 14-year-old attempting half the height on his
first try at this legendary
sport – lost his footing –
and then slipped 20-feet to
the ground married to the
pole by a rope and a body
harness.
Fortunately he suffered
no injuries, but he must
have felt like a piece of
human sandpaper run
amok.
He landed on a pile of
sawdust bunched around
the base of the pole and
then un-strapped himself
with the look of a young
man who’d just had an
epiphany.
Bull of the Woods 2011
Jake Starkey, 27, took
second place this year
“swallowing sawdust” left
behind by Buckley’s 50year-old Jeff Fetter, declared Bull of the Woods
2013.
Event emcee Spike
Lind presented Fetter with
an engraved axe annually
fabricated for the event by
Cle Elum City Councilman
Jay McGowan.
Fetter’s laughter and
smiling face seemed to infect the crowd for the two
days he competed. The
metal pins in his right knee
obviously didn’t detract
from his enthusiasm or his
performance.
After accepting the
award Fetter said, “Is it
possible to take the newspaper shot with my son in
the photo with me? He’s
the reason I’m here.”
LINDSEY FLOWERS is the woman behind the scenes tracking scores and organizing timekeepers among other things – except for a brief moment in the spotlight during her bid for the
Ma & Pa Crosscut title.
NKC TRIBUNE ♦ THURSDAY, SEPT. 5, 2013 B9
HIGH COUNTRY LOG SHOW 2013
Aging bulls dominate young bucks
Photo essay by Jim Fossett
2013 Winners Circle
From the 39 competitors from all over the state
Bulls of the Woods, top overall performance:
1st Jeff Fetter, 2nd Jacob Starkey, 3rd Richard Glaves
Chokerman's Race:
1st Jacob Starkey, 2nd Jake Lind, 3rd Jeff Fetter
Power Saw Buck:
1st Tim Brownrigg, 2nd Jacob Starkey, 3rd Thom Meyer
Speed Climb: 1st Jacob Starkey, 2nd Richard Glaves,
3rd Carsen Monaghan
Wrapper Toss:
1st Jeff Fetter, 2nd Tim Zapel, 3rd Arthur Fetter
Firewood Chop:
1st Jeff Fetter, 2nd Ben Flowers, 3rd Jacob Starkey
Obstacle Choker Race:
1st Jeff Fetter, 2nd Jake Lind, 3rd Bryce Blockley
Obstacle Pole Buck:
1st Jeff Fetter, 2nd Arthur Fetter, 3rd Dan Clarke
Axe Throw:
1st Natalie Amber, 2nd Jeff Fetter, 3rd Andy Hodder
Vintage Saw:
1st Andy Hodder, 2nd Jeff Fetter, 3rd Dan Clarke
Extreme Modified Hot Saw: 1st Arthur Fetter, 2nd
Kendal Cain, 3rd Lee Williamson
Stock Modified Hot Saw: 1st Jeff Fetter, 2nd Arthur
Fetter, 3rd Michael Truong
ROSLYN’S 10-YEAR-OLD LAYLA OGLESBY competed in the Ma & Pa Crosscut with her dad Ryan (not shown).
Ma & Pa Crosscut: 1st Arthur Fetter/Kenna (last name
not available), 2nd Chris Kammeier/Hannah Holden,
3rd Richard Glaves/Jessica Beell
Hooktender Relay: 1st Jeff Fetter/Arthur Fetter,
2nd Ben Flowers/Jacob Starkey, 3rd Jake Lind/Spike.
CORY ZAPEL, Cle
Elum-Roslyn High
School alumni, provided photographers
with some of the best
action shots at the
High Country Log
Show. A former athlete, he took his beating with a grin. This is
Zapel’s first year in the
competition.
ROSLYN CAFÉ OWNER Cody Martz in the Modified Stock
Saw contest.
BEN FLOWERS (right), president of the organization that sponsors
the event, shown here in the axe throw. Ben picked up a Second Place
in the Hooktender Relay with partner Jacob Starkey of Buckley.
CLE ELUM’S
RICHARD GLAVES,
53, placed third in
overall performance. He placed second in the
80-foot-pole speed
climb and third in
the Ma & Pa Crosscut teaming with
daughter Jessica.