Lumberjacks of all trades see who is a cut above the rest
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
GREENVILLE — Five competitors, along with several hundred spectators watching the watching the proceedings held inside the dirt track, took part in the 21st annual Game of Logging competition at the Greenville school grounds on Aug. 8 as part of the town’s annual Forest Heritage Days celebration.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
GENTLEMEN, START YOUR CHAINSAWS — Competition announcer Stuart Hall introduces the five entrants in the 21st annual regional Game of Logging on Aug. 8 at the Greenville school grounds, held in conjunction with the Forest Heritage Days celebration. From left is Hall, Jeremy Grignon, Tom Fox, John Grignon, Tyler McIntosh and Paul Cyr. Fox earned the highest score of the day with his 274 points besting second place by 34 points.
After a dozen different events in both the morning and afternoon, Tom Fox of Orland had accumulated a score of 274 points, 34 more than the nearest competitor to give him the 2015 Game of Logging title. For his victory Fox — who also won the competition in 2012 — won $1,000 and qualified to represent Maine at the Game of Logging National Finals in Cambridge, Ohio in mid-October.
The Game of Logging is comprised of a dozen events utilizing logging skill, expertise and safety — competitors are subject to 10-point deductions in each event for safety violations. The events are based upon four levels of the Game of Logging training program. Among the events are speed cut, in which the contestants must sharpen a dulled chain and then cut up and down in the fastest time, and the precision bucking where participants must sever a disk from a log without touching any of the surrounding wood.
Other events included the spring pole and precision felling. In the spring pole contestants are tested on their ability to release the pressure on a small tree tied to the ground, replicating a common forest danger as downed trees fall on smaller trees or limbs and can snap back violently if not released properly. The precision felling had the contestants cutting down a several-stories-high log safely and accurately.
Following Fox was John Grignon in second place with 230 points, enough for him to win a Dolmar 7900 chainsaw. Earning a set of safety apparel for placing third was Tyler McIntosh with a score of 220 points. Jeremy Grignon, the son of John Grignon, came in fourth with 205 points and rounding out the field was Paul Cyr with 202 points.
The Game of Logging is sponsored by the Certified Logging Professionals, an industry leader in logging training and certification. Previous year’s winners are 1995 Mike Thurlow of Lee, 1996 Al Bard of Howland, 1997 Thurlow, 1998 Ed Berry of Norridgewalk, 1999 Rene Valcourt of Fort Kent, 2000 Kenneth Jandreau of St. Francis, 2001 Ronald Gosselin of St. Cyprien, Quebec, 2002 Rick Cyr of Ashland, 2003 Steven Clark of Ashland, 2004 Berry, 2005 Gosselin, 2006 Clark, 2007 Valcourt, 2008 and 2009 Gosselin, 2010 Chris Maxim of Chesterville, 2011 Sam Heffner of Greenville, 2012 Tom Fox of Orland and 2013 and 2014 Heffner.
Thurlow went on to the win the national championship in 1995, as did Gosselin in 2008 and 2009.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TIMBER! — Tom Fox and the several judges watch as Fox’s tree falls to the ground in the precision felling event at this year’s Game of Logging in Greenville on Aug. 8. The loggers try to be as precise as possible by having the tree land on a target.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
AVOIDING A SPRING WHERE THEY STEP — Downed trees often land on smaller saplings, creating pressure that can have dangerous consequences if the tension is not relieved. Here Jeremy Grignon cuts in the correct place in the spring pole, as the small tree slowly falls safely to the ground instead of springing back at him.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
WHERE TO CUT — Tyler McIntosh decides where to make his cut in the tree felling competition as part of Saturday’s Game of Logging in Greenville.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
WATCH THE SAWDUST FLY — Paul Cyr does his best to saw as perfectly as he can in the precision bucking event.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
DIFFERENT BEARS IN GREENVILLE — During the Game of Logging at Greenville’s annual Forest Heritage Days raffle tickets for Log-A-Load for Kids — to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network — enabled attendees to win a hand-carved bear statue. Also on hand was Smokey the Bear.
