Southern Manitoba may not be known for its lumberjacks, but after this weekend, that could change.
Manitoba’s very first professional lumberjack championships are happening at the Carman Country Fair in Carman, Man. both Saturday and Sunday.
“When we first came over to meet these folks and check it out… we are looking and we are like, ‘Man, there is not a lot of trees around here compared to what we are used to.’ But we made it happen,” said Cecil Starr, a competitor from south central Ontario.
About 20 professional lumberjacks from all over North America have made their way to the small community in the Pembina Valley region of southern Manitoba to compete for the top spot.
“One guy is a lobster fisherman from Nova Scotia. One of the ladies lives in Spokane, Washington,” Starr said.
“So pretty much from either ocean we have competitors this year.”
There will be chopping, sawing, axe throwing, the spring board chop, and the much-anticipated hot saw.Starr said the hot saw is when lumberjacks make a modified power tool to create three cuts in six inches of wood as fast as possible. He uses a dirt bike motor engine.
“It’s quite a beast, that thing. They are all quite the machines.”
Beyond the title of best lumberjack there will also be prize money totaling $20,00