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When it comes to woodchopping, Taumarunui farmer Jack Jordan is a cut above the rest.
Jordan, who is the reigning World Timbersports Champion after blitzing the opposition in Austria earlier this year, will be chopping at the carnival in Puhoi on Saturday, January 14.
Jordan set the fastest time of the whole competition in Vienna, on his way to a showdown in the final with three-time world champion Jason Lentz. He took the title by 10 seconds.
The World Championships returned in May after a two-year absence due to Covid. The athletes came from far and wide, and competed in front of a raucous crowd of 3500.
They went head-to-head in four iconic Timbersport disciplines – stock saw, underhand chop, single buck and standing block chop.
Axemen celebrate delayed anniversary
There will be cause for extra celebration at the Puhoi Woodchopping Carnival next month.
It will be the first one held in two years and it will mark the Puhoi Axemen’s 60th anniversary.
Club president Mike Paddison says the anniversary actually fell at the start of this year, but like so many other events, it had to be postponed due to Covid.
The Puhoi woodchopping carnival, held in the grounds of the Puhoi Hotel, is one of New Zealand’s largest and most popular woodchopping events.
It will be held on Saturday, January 14, from 9am onwards. The hundreds of spectators who normally turn up can look forward to a line-up of some of the country’s top axemen, who will pit their strength from the classic speed events of standing and underhand through to the springboard tree chop, pairs’ Jack and Jill sawing class and the popular axe throwing.
Axemen will descend on the township from all parts of the North Island including three generations of the Semenoff family – grandfather Selwyn, son Jason and grandson Johnson, from Whangarei.
Paddison says they are still working on the programme, but to mark the anniversary, they hope to entice some retired woodchoppers to pick up the axe again for a novelty race.
Among the young up-and-coming axemen are Puhoi’s Jordon Thomas, Jared McDonell, Callum Cradock and brothers, Cole and RJ Brown. Morgan Bolstad, from Taumarunui, will also be competing
While there are two trophies sponsored by the Puhoi Hotel awarded on the day – for underhand and standing – Paddison says the event is more about the prize money worth several thousands of dollars, plus bragging rights.
The speed of the axemen chopping through their wood blocks can make it hard to judge at times, with time differences between competitors often coming down to hundredths of a second. However, as in many other sports, technology is being employed and any controversial results are now decided by a ‘third umpire’ – an iPad used to record every chop with an app that can freeze the action down to single frames and prove decisively who was fastest.
“A lot of people claim it’s the best one-day chopping event in the country. The registrations certainly fill up fast.”
Paddison says the club has held only one show at the hotel since Gillian Seymour sold.
“We’re really grateful to the support of the new owners, who have been very accommodating and helpful.
“The day would also not be possible without the very loyal support of our sponsors and some local families. They are what makes the day such a success.”
All the club needs now is fine weather on the day.
