Wayback Wednesday Woodchoppers Jamboree

This coming weekend the 55th Annual Woodchopper’s Jamboree will take place in Encampment, Wyo. Before this popular event occurs, you might be interested in brushing up your knowledge on the very first Woodchopper’s in 1962.

According to the archives of the Saratoga Sun, there was an estimated 1,000 spectators at the event. Of those 1,000 people, about 800 of them attended the barbecue and 500 went to the Woodchopper’s Ball that same evening.

Events of the first Jamboree included a parade, log bucking contest with chain saw, beef barbecue, steer weight guessing contest, various children contests, log bucking contest with hand saw, axe chopping contest and the Woodchopper’s Ball. Prizes awarded to the winners of these events included two McCulloch chain saws, a Crescent Marin 4-HP outboard motor, a car polish job, filing joint kit, and $430 in prize money.

The top winners of the events in the first Woodchopper’s Jamboree were as follows: Val Holland, of Denver, Colo., open chain saw contest with a time of 58.4 seconds won a new McCulloch chain saw; Carl Vyvey, of Encampment, axe chopping contest with a time of 1:09 won $100; Ed Hill and Dick Leonard, of Grandby, Colo., two man cross cut contest with a time of 20.5 seconds won a McCulloch chain saw; Roger Todd, of Saratoga, small chain saw contest with a total time for three cuts of 47.8 seconds won the Crescent Marin outboard motor.

Woodchopper’s Jamboree has always been a success and has continually attracted spectators. Fifty-five years later and the annual event still takes place and is a great summer attraction for the Valley.