Winners Announced in Dry Stone Walling Competition
Words: Bronzella Cleveland
NovemberDecember 2008
Industry News
Winners Announced in Dry Stone Walling Competition
Debra Baker of Nicholasville, Ky., and Michael Watkins of Travelers Rest, S.C.
The Dry Stone Conservancy (Lexington, Ky.) held its fifth annual National Walling Competition in October in Pleasant Hill, Ky., which featured 38 masons from around the nation and even one builder from Scotland. In total, 21 awards were handed out to winners in three levels of expertise: professional, amateur and novice. However, it was the locals who proved to be the best around.
James Miles of Paris, Ky., captured the title in the professional division. The 2008 amateur champion is Seth Thomas of Nicholasville, Ky., and Tim York of Winchester, Ky., took the novice division title.
The competition was held at Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, home to the nation’s largest collection of rock fence. Competitors were given eight hours to take down and rebuild a dry stone wall that is judged on the efficiency with which the stone at hand is used and accuracy in matching the historic pattern of stonework.
The Dry Stone Conservancy’s Walling Competition is the only competition of its kind in North America. For more information on the program, visit www.drystone.org. MD