The multi-event Mad(am) Trapper competition, slated for Feb. 23 through 25, usually attracts dozens of women and men vying for the title of Mad Trapper or Madam Trapper. Historically, contestants have competed in five sourdough “skills”: the Log Toss, Chainsaw Chuck, Swede Saw, Axe Throw, and the ever-impressive Flour Packing event. This year, organizers have changed things up at the Shipyards Park venue.

“Those five events have been the same ones for many years, and were based largely on strength,” said Rendezvous Operations Manager “Six-Shooter Sas” Saskrita Shrestha. To encourage a broader selection of contestants, organizers decided – partly through a hat draw – on a new line-up including some of the “big five” and some other outdoor events.

“We’re rotating some events out and putting others in that haven’t been a part of the contest before,” said Board Member “Luscious” Lana Laviolette.

“I think that flour-packing may have scared some people off (from signing up),” Shrestha added.

One of the new events is the crowd-pleasing Alaskan High Kick. This is a traditional northern sport, and will take place in Shipyards Park on Friday, February 23 at noon, organized by the Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle.

Athletes in this event must execute a torso-twisting high kick into the air from a seated position, and touch a small sealskin target suspended above. Winning kicks at the Arctic Winter Games events have reached more than eight feet.

The challenging two-person Whip Saw and the Partner Pack are two new events have been moved into to the Mad(am) Trapper line-up.

The Partner Pack (introduced more than a decade ago as a “wife-carrying” contest) gets competitors racing around an obstacle course while packing someone “at least 100 pounds.” It’s scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.

You can still sign up for some glory in the Flour Packing, Log Tossing, and Chainsaw Chucking events – they’re just not a part of the official Mad(am) Trapper activities.

The grand finale Swede Saw and slightly scary Axe-Throw are two of the original events in year’s Mad(am) Trapper line-up. They’ll be run back to back on the final Rendezvous Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

All of the events in the contest are open to both men and women, with cash prizes for each winner of individual events.

There’s “small, medium and large” gold nuggets for the first, second and third place winners in both the men’s and women’s Mad (am) Trapper categories.

And the contest’s sponsor, Lumel Studios, has made some glass axes as trophies for the first-place Mad and Madam Trappers.

Lumel Studios will present them to the winners at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25 in the main tent just before the Rendezvous Wrap-up Parade.

Contest registration is open to men and women over 18, right up to the day of competition. The entry fee is $60. Find out more at YukonRendezvous.com.

It’s a mad, mad world

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