The Northern Maine Fair in Presque Isle draws people from away, as well as those nearby. This Saturday, the fairgrounds will hold a Lumberjack Roundup from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Annie Hare of New Limerick will be competing.
Hare competed in several Lumberjack competitions in her second year of college at Unity.
“I joined the Woodsmen Team and was a member in 2011-12 of the women’s separate team, but I also competed in the “Jack and Jill” teams.”
Hare competed with three men and three women on a team and worked in male and female pairs during team relay events.
This Saturday, she will be at the Northern Maine Fair with friends and professionals from her alma mater, along with individuals she has competed against while she was part of Unity’s Woodsmen Team.
“I have competed in the STIHL Timbersports Official Collegiate Series Woodsmen competitions around New England and eastern Canada both in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, while participating on the Unity College Woodsmen team.
“Many professional STIHL athletes will be in this competition that are known for their talent and awards at the different levels of Maine State fairs, regional, national and some international Timbersports championships,” she added. “Some of the competitors will not be competing as STIHL professionals, but as only individuals to have fun. Some competing will be amateur STIHL professionals that just registered that morning for pro circuit like myself to earn my first points towards my professional record standings worldwide.”
This is Hare’s first competition after registering as a STIHL professional Lumberjill athlete and will help her gain her first set of points toward her individual professional record compared to worldwide competitors.
During the Northern Maine Fair, Hare will be competing in a few events, as she has amateur status and has a limited amount of equipment.
“I have no stands or stations to practice the main events on,” she explained. “To practice these events, I need to make an axe throw target stand and I need to have metal stations to hold chopping wood blocks for underhand or horizontal chopping. I also need to make sturdy stations to hold logs to saw on, such as some old beams or railroad ties put together. If I am to practice and compete in regulation chopping, I need the help of someone with a saw mill to mill softwood beams of 8×8 and hardwood at times for Canadian competitions.”
In Saturday’s Lumberjack Roundup, Hare will be sponsored by Jean’s Serendipity, who will be making Hare’s competition shirts, jackets and hats. She will also be representing her physical trainer Sha’born Armstrong and his wife’s business AKI Kickboxing and MMA gymnasium in Houlton; School’s Potatoes in Littleton; Sawyer Farm of Merrill; Larry Schools’ Logging and Thomas Schools’ Logging, both of Littleton and Dave Wright Logging of New Limerick.
The deadline for sponsorships to support Hare for Saturday’s competition is today. Anyone interested in helping her may email annie.m.hare@gmail.com or visit her Facebook page.
