Medieval trebuchets launch pumpkins in North Logan
On Saturday, Oct. 26, medieval trebuchets launched pumpkins full of candy onto a field in North Logan at Elk Ridge Park, where little children ran eagerly across to retrieve the goodies.
Nearly 2,000 people showed up to the contest, where two hand-crafted trebuchets launched pumpkins that tested the trebuchets for accuracy and distance. The two competing teams at the event were called the Young Hopefuls and True Aggie.
Alicia Holmstead, the team captain of the Young Hopefuls, said their team felt good about their overall performance using their trebuchet named Old Faithful.
“For accuracy, we hit our target, and for the distance part, we went further and further each time, so what more could you hope for?” Holmstead said.
The Young Hopefuls took first in accuracy and second in distance but won the overall pumpkin toss.
Team True Aggie took first in distance and second in accuracy. Their trebuchet exceeded the Young Hopeful’s distance by half.
Utah State University mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Spencer Wendel said the constructing of the trebuchet has different objectives.
“One of them is to have fun. It’s hard to be an engineer, and this gives them an outlet to destroy things in a more or less safe way,” Wendel said. “They are also able to take advantage of some of the principles they have learned in their early course work.”
According to Wendel, the teams were able to make their trebuchets with modern materials, but, in previous years, the Caine College of the Arts built their catapult solely out of material used back in the Middle Ages.
The trebuchets used in this year’s pumpkin toss participated last year, too. Old Faithful has been around since the beginning of the pumpkin toss tradition, which started some ten years ago.
“This trebuchet has been in it for the past ten years. That’s why it’s called Old Faithful. It’s been here that long, which is super fun,” Holmstead said.
The community at the event consisted of various ages, such as children, grandparents and students.
“I think the pumpkin toss gives the community an opportunity to get together. I think in today’s age, in most communities, it’s on social media,” Wendel said.
Linda Christiansen, the grandmother of the team captain for True Aggies said she likes the whole thing, along with seeing how accurate they are and how far they can launch them. She said the candy is why the kids come.
Logan City provided the space, the pumpkins, the volunteers and candy for the event.
“Without them, it wouldn’t happen,” Wendel said.