Chainsaws, axes and log rolling are all in a day’s work for the Cal Poly Logging Team.
The team competed in the 70th Annual Association of Western Forestry Clubs Conclave last month at both the Redwood Acres Fairground in Eureka, Calif. and Humboldt State University’s campus in Arcata, Calif.
Students from colleges in Washington, Montana, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and California participated. Although Cal Poly put together four teams to compete in every event, it wasn’t enough to place in the top five. Forestry and natural resources senior Joey Gentry said he knew it would be a hard competition and wasn’t too surprised with the results.
Despite Montana winning, many Cal Poly students did well. Gentry took second place in birling, an event where two competitors see who can remain on a log rolling in a body of water the longest. Gentry was in 24 heats before making it to finals. “That was really cold. The trick is to be the last one to get wet,” he said.
He also took sixth place in both the power saw and choker race. “I really liked their choker course they had set up there; it was really extensive with all kinds of obstacles,” Gentry said.
Agriculture sciences freshman Valerie Grant also complimented the course. “It was a really nice competition site. Humboldt did a really good job setting that up.”
Forestry and natural resources seniors Katherine Napier and Shane Larsen took fourth place in the pulp toss. Napier also placed fifth in the women’s obstacle and limber pole events.
Each team chose one student to compete in the STIHL Timbersports Series. Business senior Michael Follmar represented Cal Poly and finished sixth. The series will be broadcast on ESPN this summer. Follmar placed second in the axe throw as well.
While competition has ended for the school year, the team’s next activity will be to participate in Cal Poly’s Open House in April. “We will have a booth for people to come by and throw an axe and possibly use one of our big old-school cross cut saws,” Larsen said.
Any major can participate and only a little experience is required.
“Some people come who have never touched a chainsaw in their life and some people come that have played around with them forever,” Grant said.
“You don’t have to be a big burly guy with a beard to be on the team,” Larsen said.
Forestry and natural resources junior Evan Light said it’s a good way to gain experience that you wouldn’t get anywhere else and it may come in handy. Others, like Grant, said it’s a good networking tool.
The trees used by the team came from Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch in Davenport, Calif.
“A lot of the trees are invasive so we are not only helping out the forest we are getting wood,” Gentry said.
Light added that the team helped plant 20,000 trees at the ranch.
To be part of the team, students must be enrolled in FNR 290, a credit/no credit one unit class. The team meets on Mondays at 6 p.m. in the Agricultural Sciences building in room 302. Practices are held on Fridays at 3 p.m. at the logging unit.