FARMINGTON — Teams from four technical schools competed Thursday in the 42nd Annual Loggers Meet, which included demonstrations of skills that loggers, wood harvesters and foresters need to be successful in their work.

The two-day event hosted by the forestry and wood harvesting program at the Foster Career and Technical Education Center will continue Friday at the Sonny Austin and family field and woodlot across from Mt. Blue Campus.

Other competing schools were Region 11 based at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, Region 9 School of Applied Technology based in Mexico and Region 2 based in Houlton. 

“The kids absolutely love this,” forestry program instructor Rodney Spiller said. “I’m thankful for all the sponsors who stepped up to make this possible.” 

Region 9 was the winner in the first event, the ax throw. Foster Tech was second and Oxford Hills finished third.

The Region 9 team also won the log-rolling event. It was the only team to successfully roll the log over the runners from one end to the other and back.

The dot-split event resulted in a sudden-death showdown for third place. Two members from each team were tasked with splitting a half-inch dot on a wood “cookie” with an ax. Each person had four tries.

The Oxford Hills team split the dot eight times to take first. Region 9 was second with six. Region 2 and Foster Tech each had five. One student from each team was selected to make three more attempts. Garrett Williger from Region 2 split one. Austin Smiley from Foster Tech split two to give his team third place.

In the pulp throw for distance event, Tyler Pickering from Region 9 had the longest throw at 30 feet, 6 inches. His team won the event. Foster Tech took second place and Region 2 earned third place.

In the pulp throw for accuracy event, Foster Tech took first with 25 points, Region 2 earned second with 24 and Region 9 took third with 20.

Equipment, cookie-cut and the two-person crosscut saw competitions were held in the afternoon. More events will be held Friday morning, including a tug-of-war. Trophies will be presented. 

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net

Casey Smith, a student at Foster Tech Center in Farmington, hits the bull’s-eye in the ax throw competition Thursday at the 42nd Annual Loggers Meet in Farmington.  (Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser)

Members of the team from Region 9 School of Applied Technology based in Mexico compete in the log rolling event Thursday at the 42nd Annual Loggers Meet in Farmington. (Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser) 

Thursday was the first day of the 42nd Annual Loggers Meet, hosted by the forestry and wood harvesting program at Foster Tech Center in Farmington. A student from Region 2, Dyer Brook in Houlton, is shown competing in the pulp throw for accuracy. (Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser)

Thursday was the first day of the 42nd Annual Loggers Meet, hosted by the forestry and wood harvesting program at Foster Tech Center in Farmington. A student from Oxford Hills is shown competing in the ax throw. (Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser)