Published: May 23, 2008 09:02 pm      

Chain saw carvers labor under warm West Virginia sky for prizes

BLUEFIELD — Eight world class chain saw carvers traveled from their homes in every quarter of the continental United States to put in a full day’s work transforming huge tree trunks into works of fine art in the first day of competition of the inaugural 2008 Cole Chevy Mountain Festival Carving Invitational sponsored by Echo and Outdoor Equipment Distributors.

By the time that Brad Sharp sounded the air horn at 5 p.m., to indicate the end of a frantic 75-minute long timed carve, the eight competitors were covered with sawdust and seemed plumb tuckered out. “The quick carve is the one that really builds excitement,” Sharp said. Sharp, 31, of Rio Dell, Calif., is a third generation lumberman who has been carving with a chain saw for 18 years, although he is serving as a judge for Echo in the Bluefield Invitational.

“The beauty behind it is that the quick carve pieces give the general public some incredible pieces to purchase at the auction (tonight at 7 p.m.),” Sharp said. “The competitors will be judged on the masterpiece works that they started on today, but they won’t finish them before the second auction on Sunday night.”

“It was amazing,” Marc Meachum, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce said. “These carvers all started showing up a little after 7:30 a.m. Brad (Sharp) carved a little welcome bear while they were waiting around. When 9 a.m., rolled around, they had a brief meeting, and then started carving. With the exception of an hour-long lunch break, they’ve been working all day.”

The competitors include reigning two-time world champion carver, Bob King of Edgewood, Wash., Mike Bihlmaier of Marengo, Ill., Mark Colp of Lakeport, Calif., Jason Emmons of Branchville, Ind., Zoe Boni of Ridgeway, Pa., Jeff Samudosky of Columbia, Conn., Dayton Scoggins, of Sandersville, Miss., and Ken Tynan of Des Moines, Iowa.

“The way this invitational is set up, there are eight real good carvers here,” Tim Bartelt, supervisor of marketing communications for Echo Inc., said. “The top two finishers here will get to compete in the national championships at the Albuquerque, N.M., International Balloon Fiesta in October. With all this talent here, we’re assured of having some pretty good talent in the championships.”

Kyle Hurt, general chairman of the Mountain Festival, saw an Echo demonstration four years ago in Louisville, Ky., and started working to bring the competition to Bluefield. “These are good people who work well together and help each other out,” Hurt said. He pointed to a young man who was assisting Zoe Boni, and said, “he helps the others out by sharpening their chains and helping get things ready.”

Chad Liegey, 36, of Ridgeway, Pa., met his girl friend, Zoe Boni almost three years ago. “I asked her what she did for a living and she said chain saw carving,” Liegey said. “I’ve been working with a chain saw for 18 years, but I never saw anything like this. Zoe’s dad, Rick Boni, and his twin brother, Randy Boni are founders of chain saw carving. They started 20 years ago, and they’ve helped many a carver get started in chain saw carving. They founded the Ridgeway Rendezvous and it draws about 200 carvers every year.”

After the chain saw din subsided, the roar of the grease paint of the James H. Dews Exposition took its cue and cranked up a little louder. In the mean time, Bubba the camel from Eudora Farms near Orangeburg, S.C., seemed perfectly content to rest on the cool grass of the Lotito Park campus.

“It is so much cooler here this year than it was last year,” Mark Nisbet said. Nisbet and his wife, Kim, own Eudora Farms, and have been steady visitors to the Mountain Festival for the past several years bringing exotic animals to the festival.

“We have some different animals here this year including these African Fennec Foxes, the smallest foxes in the world, an Asian water buffalo and African (sulcata) tortoises, the largest tortoises in the world. I haven’t been able to bring them out yet,” Mark Nisbet said.

Beach music lovers flocked to the concert Friday night at the city auditorium featuring Rick K. and the Allnighters, and the Collegians. The Mountain Festival continues today with the 28th annual BRMC Road Race at 8 a.m., the Fun Dog Show at 10 a.m., a softball tournament, doubles bowling tournament both starting at 10 a.m., and the Echo Carving Series Auction at 7 p.m. Veteran auctioneer Randle Grant will be serving as auctioneer.

— Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com