For the Love of Woodchopping: A Festival is Born
The sport of Woodchopping runs deep in Webster County, and for one family the roots were settled many years ago. The Cogar’s have always been comfortable (and skilled) with an axe. Dating back to the early 1900’s when John and Homer Cogar worked as Sleeper Cutters, using an axe to hand-cut railroad crossties. Their nephew, Arden Cogar, Jr., recalls his childhood and can remember growing up in Webster Springs, surrounded by a family whose passion for the sport is unparalleled.
Above is an image of Arden Cogar, Jr. competing in the springboard chop at the 2015 U.S. Championship, which was held in Central Park, NYC. Photo Credit: STIHL Timbersports
“I’ve been competing in lumberjack competitions since I was 8 years old. I love woodchopping because I am an athlete at heart. My whole family has lumberjacked. I’ve been so blessed to have traveled the world either driving to or competing as a lumberjack. In my years of competing I have won the Stihl Timber Sports US title four times and have earned 55 individual world titles. I like to say that I’ve traveled the world with an axe.”
Cogar Jr. says it was his uncles that ultimately convinced Arden Sr. to travel to Elkins and participate in the Mountain State Forest Festival Woodchopping competition in 1956. The Forest Festival drew in loggers from all over the state’s logging camps to meet and compete.
Arden Cogar Sr. pictured at the beginning of his lumberjacking career.
“My father, Arden Cogar, Sr. was a notcher in the logging industry here in West Virginia, meaning he would chop notches in trees for 10-12 hours every day. In his first competition in 1956, he got his butt kicked, but just two years later he won the champion title in 1958 at the Forest Festival.”
The Woodchopping Festival Is Born
Not long after Arden Sr.’s win at the Forest Festival, did he and his brothers decide it was time to bring the competitive sport of Woodchopping to their hometown in Webster Springs. So, in 1960 the Webster County Woodchopping Festival debuted and was held in Webster County. That same year, Arden Sr. took home the Overall Lumberjack World Champion title in Hayward, WI.
“Without the support of the Webster County community and several members of the Cogar family, the Woodchopping Festival would not be possible, particularly my father. He has been instrumental and put a lot of effort into bringing athletes from all over the world to our neck of the woods for this three day event.”
Arden Cogar Jr. and his father are pictured here together.
“The Woodchopping Festival is considered a world champion event. We attract athletes from Europe, New Zealand, Australia and all throughout the United States to come to our hometown and compete with our boys from Webster County. It makes me incredibly proud that five of the top woodchopping athletes in the world are from West Virginia and all have ties to Webster County.”
For the Love of Woodchopping
The Woodchopping Festival has grown significantly in the past 52 years. When the festival first began it had a budget of just $10,000, which mainly supported the lumberjack prizes. Today the festival budget is just over $100,000 and more of those funds go toward supporting and attracting community events. Some of these 2016 events include live music acts, such as Morgan White and The Phillip Fox Band on Friday night (May 27) and Rick K and the Allnighters on Saturday night (May 28).
Arden Cogar, Jr. competes at a past Webster County Woodchopping Festival event.
“The festival has a great group of people supporting it. These same people are avidly involved in fundraising events throughout the year that help support prize money for the athletes, attracting quality entertainment acts, and bringing in the top lumberjacks from around the world.”
Cogar Jr. says the festival is synonymous with “coming home” for a lot of Webster County natives.
“Webster County is and will forever be my home. For some unknown reason, when I’m traveling those winding roads toward Webster Springs, I immediately relax and all my worries disappear. There’s something about it that just feels right.”
The 52nd Webster County Woodchopping Festival begins on May 26th with events happening through May 29th in Webster Springs. Pick your favorite lumberjack or lumberjill and cheer them on!
To learn about this year’s lineup of events at the Webster County Woodchopping Festival visit www.woodchoppingfestival.org/.
