ASC Hosts Its First Woodsmen’s Meet On Campus

Alfred State College recently hosted its first woodsmen’s meet—The Pioneer Games—on campus. Teams from Paul Smith’s College, SUNY Cobleskill, Finger Lakes Community College, SUNY ESF, and the Ranger School competed. Alfred State College, which entered four teams (three men’s and one women’s), finished fifth and eighth in overall rankings. Woodsmen competitions, which have their roots in the contests that took place among loggers in logging camps, test loggers’ ability to perform a specific task quickly. A degree of showmanship is also admired. Today the tradition survives on college campuses across the United States and Canada, as well as on various competitive circuits worldwide. Competitions typically take the form of a "meet," a series of events conducted throughout the competition. Events may be run as singles, doubles, triples, or teams. Schools compete in teams of six with the option of sending multiple teams. There are three team divisions; Men’s, Women’s, and Jack and Jill (three men and three women). The ASC club, founded just one year ago, has increased its membership by 325% and has already participated and done well in the meets in which it has competed. Pictured here, Diana Burley, Warsaw, on the left end of the saw, Amanda Hoiles, Shortsville, on the right end of the saw, and Natasha Talbot, Saint Johnsville, sitting on the log. They are setting up for the Crosscut to Hell contest. They hold the saw upside down to set up so they can make sure their feet are placed correctly before they start sawing. Talbot sits on the wood to add a bit of weight to keep the log from moving while the contestants are sawing. Crosscut to Hell is a doubles event; each pair of sawyers cuts six “cookies” in a row as quickly as possible.

View more photos of The Pioneer Games on the ASC Facebook page.

Follow the Pioneer Woodsmen's Club on Facebook.