Top axemen show their skills at new wood chopping event
The hard men and women of forest sports went toe to toe at the inaugural McKenzie and Ridley Axemen’s Carnival at Putaruru on Saturday with a full programme of woodchopping events that tested skill, balance and strength.
The event was made more challenging by a series of rain showers during the day.
Buoyed by the strong turnout and high standard of competition, organiser Shane Campbell says the Tokoroa and Putaruru clubs will definitely run the carnival again in 2021.
“We’re very pleased with the event and with the response from the competitive woodchopping clubs throughout the North Island. The weather held off any big squalls till we had finished up for the day, which was awesome,” he said.
The venue, the Putaruru Timber Museum, was perfect for the one-day competition.
“We had a real family atmosphere, and there’s a great fit between our heritage sport and the museum.”
New Zealand and World Champion axemen and woodchoppers will put their skills on show in competition this Saturday at the Putaruru Timber Museum.
Held for the first time this year, the attracted a ‘who’s who’ of top axemen and women, including current or recent New Zealand and world title holders.
“We had entries from across the North Island and even an international, Oliver Reinhard from Switzerland.”
Entries included current New Zealand women’s team members Sheree Taylor (Te Aroha) and Darcell Apelu (Tauranga); current New Zealand men’s and Stihl team members Shane and Jack Jordan (Stratford); Chris Lord (Junior Stihl rookie world champ); Kyle Lemon (Stihl team member) and NZ under 21 team member and captain Cleveland Cherry (Lichfield).
Shane Campbell said the importance of events like the carnival could not be understated. “This day was about competition and family fun, but it was also about keeping alive traditional skills and sports that would otherwise fade out of sight. We will be back in 2021.”
Results, 2020 McKenzie and Ridley Waikato Axemen’s Carnival
1 275 mm standing H/C
1st Stu Greig, Taupo
2nd Willy McDonald, Waiuku
3rd Shane Jordan, Taranaki
4th Charles Hall, Mt Maunganui
2 275 mm underhand H/C
1st: Quintin Fawcett, Masterton
2nd Cleveland Cherry, Lichfield
3rd Rob Rogers, Putaruru
4th Norm Cherry, Lichfield
3 540 mm doublehand sawing H/C
1st Norm Cherry, Lichfield and Shane Campbell, Tokoroa
2nd Jack Jordan, Taranaki and Shane Jordan, Taranaki
3rd Nathan McDonald, Waiuku and David McDonald, Waiuku
4th Harry Hardie, Waiuku and Quintin Fawcett, Masterton
4 Butcher’s block and doublehand sawing two man relay
1st Nathan McDonald, Waiuku and Jesse Whitehead, Taranaki
2nd Jack Jordan, Taranaki and Shane Jordan, Taranaki
3rd David McDonald, Waiuku and Willy McDonald, Waiuku,
4th Chris Harris, Waiuku and Charles Hall, Mt Maunganui
5 Ladies underhand
1st Sheree Taylor, Te Aroha
2nd Kat Heretini, Tokoroa
3rd Darcell Apelu, Mt Maunganui
6 Stock saw
1st Shane Jordan, Taranaki
2nd Oliver Reinhard, Switzerland
7 325 mm underhand H/C
1st Cleveland Cherry, Lichfield,
2nd Stu Greig, Taupo
3rd Matthew Gower, Taranaki
4th David McDonald, Waiuku
8 450 mm single saw H/C
1st Nathan McDonald, Waiuku
2nd Shane Jordan, Taranaki
3rd Jesse Whitehead, Taranaki
4th Norm Cherry, Lichfield
9 450 mm Jack and Jill sawing H/C
1st Darcell Apelu, Mt Maunganui and Charles Hall, Mt Maunganui
2nd Kat Heretini, Tokoroa and Chris Harris, Waiuku
3rd Sheree Taylor, Te Aroha and Nathan McDonald, Waiuku
4th Stu Greig, Taupo and Jess Rutledge, Taupo
10 325 mm standing H/C
1st Stu Greig, Taupo
2nd Norm Cherry, Lichfield
3rd Oliver Reinhard, Switzerland
4th Charles Hall, Mt Maunganui
11 300mm Veterans underhand H/C
1st Terry Wilkins, Gisborne
2nd Graeme Irwin, Taranaki
3rd Bruce Liddington, Tokoroa
4th Blue Scott, Te Awamutu
12 Youth chop
1st Sean
2nd Arthur
3rd Cole
4th Stanley (All from Waiuku)