Our newsletter keeps
you up to date with all
our forthcoming shows
and attractions.
Click the button below to
subscribe.
Axe Racing
British Axe Racing
Competitive wood-chopping is a work-derived sport and has its origins in the woods and forests of Australia and New Zealand. When these lands were originally colonised, large tracts of native bush were either logged or simply cleared for settlement and agriculture.
These loggers and bushmen would gather at fairs and carnivals and challenge each other in competition. Initially they used the same tools they used in their work every day - axes and cross-cut saws. The challenges would entail cutting through blocks of wood in the shortest possible time. This rapidly developed into a serious sporting activity, adopting a more organised and structured competitive format, which is not dissimilar to the format followed today.
One of the first governing bodies, the 'Australian Axemen's Federation' was convened during the 1880s. It was around this time that the 'New Zealand Bushcraft Union' ruling body was formed. From these small beginnings, the sport of wood-chopping has grown. To this day the stronghold of the sport is still in Australia and New Zealand.
The sport of wood-chopping was introduced in Britain as a result of a visit by an Australian Axe Racing team in 1966. Previously a New Zealand Army team had done a series of demonstrations in Britain during the Second World War, but this Australian team was a representative national side and comprised of some of the best axemen in the world. They did a tour of Britain, demonstrating the feat of wood-chopping at the larger agricultural shows, including the Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd. As a result of the visit, several interested individuals started chopping wood competitively with the aim of beating the Australians at their own sport.
