The Woodsman’s Team representing Dabney S. Lancaster Community College’s Forest Technology program placed first overall at the 37th Annual Lumberjack and Bluegrass Festival held September 21 at Twin Falls State Park in Wyoming County, W.Va, near Beckley.
The DSLCC team, besting three other teams from West Virginia University, University of Tennessee and Ohio State, competed in several contests, including the axe throw, log roll, one and two-person crosscut, chainsaw, bolt split, underhand chop and pole fell, in both men’s and women’s divisions. Chase Shelton, Jacob McKee and Wesleigh Kimlick served as team captains; Trevor Saville, a DSLCC graduate, was the team coach.
“These events allow students to learn new skills, try something new, compete and communicate with other colleges and universities in the east and ultimately train to earn bragging rights,” noted Scott Reigel, DSLCC Forest Technology Program Head, who served as faculty advisor and accompanied the team to the event. “The sport itself is keeping the heritage of “lumberjacking” alive.”
DSLCC will be hosting a huge event next spring, the Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen’s Competition on April 4, 2020, on the Clifton Forge campus.
Explains Reigel, “The DSLCC Woodsmen Team competes in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes North Carolina to northern Pennsylvania. Every year in the spring, one of the six Forest Management Technology colleges in the region hosts the Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen’s Competition and STIHL Collegiate Qualifier. Individuals from each school who compete in the STIHL Qualifier are battling to earn the right to represent the Mid-Atlantic Region during the STIHL National Championship in Salem, Ore.”
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“The timing couldn’t be any better for DSLCC to host the Woodmen’s competition next April, as we are in our 50th celebration year here at DSLCC Forestry,” says Reigel. “The weekend’s events will include a variety of festivities around the Woodsmen’s Competition and DSLCC Forestry Alumni.”
The Woodsmen’s Competition next April will be open to the public. More information will be released in the coming months. For more information contact Reigel at 863-2894 or rreigel@dslcc.edu.
