John Parcell is hoisted in the air by his teammates from the UM Woodsman Team after his win in the Stihl Timbersports Western Regional Qualifier. Parcell will compete in the national Stihl challenge in Chicago July 16. "The photo says it all," said Parcell.
John Parcell competing with a female teammate during the Jack and Jill crosscut event during the 77th Annual Association of Western Forestry Clubs Conclave in Missoula. In the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Challenge, on Friday of Conclave, Parcell competed in the single buck event, cutting a slice off a log using a crosscut by himself for time.
Parcell demonstrating his chain saw abilities during the stock saw event.
John Parcell taking a big slice out of his block during the vertical chop event.
MISSOULA – 2013 Seeley-Swan High School graduate from Condon John Parcell proved to be the best lumberjack in the west while competing against eight other schools during the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Western Regional Qualifier. The qualifier was a part of the at the 77th Association of Western Forestry Clubs (AWFC) Conclave in Missoula. He will compete in the U.S. Collegiate Stihl Championship national competition in Chicago, Ill. in mid-July. This is the first time the University of Montana (UM) Woodsman Team has sent a competitor since 2004.
Parcell has competed with the UM Woodsman Team for the past three years. He learned about the team from the Forestry Club when he was a freshman.
"It's competitive like a sport and sounded like fun," said Parcell. "I also knew my dad [Robert Parcell] did it in college [45 years ago]."
Parcell tried all of the events his first year to find out what he was good at. He most enjoyed the pole climb and logrolling, known as burling.
Friday, April 29, nine schools chose their best lumberjack in underhand chop, stock saw, standing block chop and single buck to participate in the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Western Regional Qualifier. Competitors earned points in each of the four events, nine points for first place down to one point for ninth place. The lumberjack with the most points after all four disciplines earns a spot in the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Championship.
This was the second year Parcell was chosen to represent the UM team.
"I was the most experienced and best in those four events," said Parcell. "I knew there would be good competition. It is never easy. But I was hoping I could win."
Last year Parcell took fifth in the competition. This year he earned 30 points with second place only racking up 23 total points. This won him a trip to the Stihl Timbersports U.S. Collegiate Championship July 16 at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Chicago and the chance to attend the world championship in Stuttgart, Germany in November.
"It felt pretty good," said Parcell. "I can't explain it. It was just really exciting. I couldn't stop smiling."
In addition to Parcell's participation in the Western Regional Championship, he also competed in eight closed events including pole climb, burling, standing block speed chop, underhand speed chop, Jack and Jill, choker race, stock saw and wood ID and all four of the open events including ax throwing, Peavey Log Roll and Caber and Pulp Toss.
Parcell took second overall at Conclave, just a notch below a California Polytechnic State University lumberjack.
"I've enjoyed seeing people improve over the years, including myself," said Parcell.
Parcell also loves the competition of logger sports and is excited for the opportunity to compete against hundreds of other collegiate timbersports athletes.
He said, "Going to the national competition gives me a lot of motivation to train because I actually want to do well."
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