If those boots could talk, just imagine the stories they鈥檇 tell.
The 57th annual Loggers Sports Festival took over the Al McIntosh grounds again on Saturday (Aug. 2) and Sunday (Aug. 3) but the show鈥檚 connection to the past was perhaps never stronger this year.
The work boots of local logging legend Vic Hurford were omnipresent through the competition on both days, a solemn reminder to all about his passing earlier this year.
But the Hurford legacy shined on the weekend, with Vic鈥檚 son John Hurford reprising his on-field role during the show and Vic鈥檚 grandson Armand Hurford returning as the show鈥檚 host.
Vic鈥檚 old work boots were nearby in every event and even got a ride down the cable during the performance of rodeo clown 鈥淩ambling鈥� Jesse Elliot.
The nod to the Hurford family wasn鈥檛 the only tip of the cap to the past, as this year鈥檚 show also marked the return of Paula the Clown.
Mid-way through Sunday鈥檚 show, a trailer with a 鈥渢ime capsule鈥� from 1914 arrived in the middle of the grounds and its contents were revealed to be former MC Al McIntosh and the aforementioned clown.
The duo delighted the crowd with their classic material but the real winner on Sunday was Scotch Creek, BC resident Mitch Hewitt, who won the Logger of the Day.
Hewitt placed first in tree falling, the springboard chop and obstacle pole bucking competitions, third in speed bucking and the standing butcher block and fourth in the underhand chop.
He also won the Axe Throw competition at Chances Casino on Saturday and said it was a memorable weekend.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a lucky weekend,鈥� he said, with a smile. 鈥淚 really wasn鈥檛 expecting it. I won obstacle pole 鈥� which I usually don鈥檛 win and the tree fall is one that anyone can win so it was a lot of luck.鈥�
聽Hewitt last won the Logger of the Day back in 2004 when he shared the honour with Dale Ryan. He said he always loves coming back to Squamish.
鈥淚 love it here,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust the atmosphere and the people are so great. It鈥檚 the best show in North America in my opinion.鈥�
The Logger Lady of the Day was awarded to Janice Burns from Slocan, BC. It鈥檚 the second appearance in 蜜桃视频appfor the second generation Loggers Sports competitor and she said it鈥檚 a thrill to win the top honour.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fantastic surprise,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 did really well in a couple of the events that I鈥檓 not accustomed to doing too well in this weekend. It was really unexpected but the sawing events went really well for me.鈥�
Burns won first in the jill and jill hand bucking with Katelan Steward and the stock appearing power saw race on Saturday.
She said her father Gary Burns competed for many years at 蜜桃视频appand won the tree fall back in the day. Burns said she enjoys competing on the same grounds her dad did.
鈥溍厶沂悠礱ppis the best show in Canada that I鈥檝e ever been to,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he whole set-up with the facility here and just the whole magnitude of things. The organization of the show is great and Deb Patterson does a good job setting up the heats. The races all run smooth and competitors are matched up well so it鈥檚 always a good race to watch.鈥�
Burns will compete in Campbell River next weekend before flying to Europe where she鈥檚 completing a master鈥檚 degree in forestry. She promised to return next year to defend her crown.
Other winners on Sunday included: Stirling Hart (underhand chop), Lukas Brown-John (axe throw), Walt Paige (single bucking), Dennis Cahoon (speed bucking), JR Salzman (birling), Brian Bartow (chokerman鈥檚 race, tree topping and tree climb), Branden Sirguy and Walt Paige (double hand bucking), Hart and Brown-John (standing butcher block chop), Anita Jezowski (women鈥檚 axe throw and single buck) and Squamish鈥檚 Marie Grindlay (women鈥檚 chokerman race).
The Intermediate Logger of the Day at Saturday鈥檚 Novice and Intermediate show was awarded to Squamish鈥檚 Lukas Brown-John, who placed first in the underhand chop and the double hand bucking with Troy Lambert.
California鈥檚 Sam Mulholland won the Novice Logger of the Day with a first place showing in birling, tree climb and the standing block chop.
Canal Flats, BC resident Normand Gagne won the Sportsmen of the Day for Saturday. The 75 year old鈥檚 top finish was third in the stock appearing power saw but he competed against the young bucks in five events.
Other winners on Saturday included: Scott Thompson (novice underhand chop), Squamish鈥檚 Allan Carson (intermediate obstacle pole bucking and novice stock appearing power saw), Squamish鈥檚 Jesse Kittner (novice axe throw), Chris Hamilton (novice chokerman鈥檚 race), Eric Hoberg (intermediate springboard chop) and Squamish鈥檚 Jacob Neubauer (junior birling).
For complete results from the event, visit www.squamishdays.ca.聽
