Families support logging athletes at the Conclave

With logging sport events happening all week, Saturday was the John Iversen Invitational Lumberjack Competition at the Redwood Acres Fairgrounds. Athletes competed in events such as axe throwing, horizontal and vertical speed chop and climbing. Families traveled from various areas to support their athletes and were impressed by the show.

 “I traveled from Palm Springs, California,” Cindy Rice, mother of athlete Jackson Rice, said. “All the students, all their endurance, they’re just amazing. They’re so strong and just really into their sport.”

 “We are from Ashland, Oregon,” Michelle Guerrie, also supporting Jackson Rice, said. “We find it inspiring to be around all these athletic, good-looking people and we are enjoying seeing them be interested in forestry and forestry management and forestry science.”

 “We traveled from Fresno, California,” Lance Cardoza, father of Zoey Cardoza, said. What’s amazing about the sport is the equality of the sport. A young female can really compete with the young men on the teams and to be able to see the Jack and Jill competition and men and women working together to do what they would do out in the field they’re working in.”

Zoey Cardoza, president and captain of the Cal Poly Humboldt logging sports team, helped organize the event.

“I would say it’s been very rewarding. We’ve had so much support from alumni and our coaches and Redwood Region Logging Conference and so many people,” Zoey Cardoza said. “As stressful as it is hosting 180 students from 10 different western schools. It went over so smoothly and so successfully, and it’s really cool to see young leaders coming together. We have captains meeting every night and just talking and supporting each other and talking about the future of our sport.”

Cardoza encouraged all to check out a logging sports event whenever they get the chance.

“If you ever have the opportunity to go watch a logging sports show, do it,” Zoey Cardoza said. “It’s so fun to see these extreme athletes going all out at the collegiate level and at the professional level.”