Worlds Simplest and Newest Trebuchet (Walking Arm Trebuchet)

We recently received a very informative and interesting email from Jonathan Stapleton our 2018 VTPC Heavyweight Champion and current world record holder (700 feet). His son, Orion Stapleton, won last year's Lightweight Division and the overall Grand Championship for Best Design of a trebuchet. Orion's lightweight trebuchet, named Demolisher, demolished the competition with a throw of 266 feet, which was 180 feet better than the 2nd place competitor. Orion's trebuchet also beat the 200 foot lightweight world record that his sister, Emmerson Stapleton, had held since 2016 with her "Destroyer" trebuchet. At the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' competition lightweight trebuchets are required to weigh less than 20 lbs. and be under 41" in height.

The Stapleton's have achieved their dominance of the VTPC competition over the years with a very unique and innovative trebuchet design called the "Walking Arm Trebuchet." This design looks so simple and straightforward that almost anyone should be able to build one.

The Stapleton's have graciously published an excellent Instructables.com article showing and explaining how to build this incredible trebuchet. You should all check it out.

By Mr. Stapleton / Instructables.com:

World's Simplest and Newest Trebuchet (Walking Arm Trebuchet) --

This is the world premier of our new trebuchet design. Not only is the trebuchet simple, it is extremely efficient. It has many of the advantages of a floating arm trebuchet, but with fewer parts, less friction, and a unique projectile launch path. As you can see in my son's video, above, the projectile never swings backward beyond its starting point, reducing the dangers to bystanders behind the trebuchet....

Stapleton Walking Arm Trebuchet

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Final Throw

A big hat tip to Boston.com

Thanks for recognizing our win in the USA Today Best Fall Festival. And for talking up other great New England Fall festivals:

USA Today readers say this New England fall festival is the best in America

There are now only 17 days 'till 11th Annual VTPC

2019 VTPC Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Person: Dave Jordan
Phone: 603-630-4800
Email: Djordan@gmavt.net
Website: VTPumpkinChuckin.blogspot.com
Charity name: Clarina Howard Nichols Center, Morrisville, VT

11th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin Festival

Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa to Host 2019 Festival

Proceeds of Sept. 29th event to benefit Clarina Howard Nichols Center

Stowe, Vermont, Aug. 29, 2019 – This year marks 11 years of the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin’
(VTPC) Festival and the first year that the festival was awarded the Best Fall Festival in the nation by USA Today! This festival celebrates the sport of “chuckin’” pumpkins, for distance, using a do-it-yourself constructed trebuchet, which is a gravity-powered catapult. Festival founder Dave Jordan describes the event as a cross between a Soap Box Derby (amateur building/engineering) and a shot put contest (throwing for distance). The event is a great opportunity for kids of all ages to build something with their hands and engage in some family friendly competition. Last year, Orion Stapleton was the first kid competing in the Lightweight category to win the overall contest with a new record of 780 feet (scaled up to Heavyweight); beating his dad Jonathan Stapleton who ONLY threw 700 feet.

The VTPC Festival is a one-day event and is sponsored by the Stoweflake Resort and Spa and many other local sponsors. The event benefits the Clarina Howard Nichols Center. Founded in 1981, the Center works to end domestic and sexual violence in Lamoille County. Mark your calendar for Sunday, September 29th, 2019.

The Festival runs from 11am to 4pm and features three rounds of competitive pumpkin chuckin’ at 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm, with awards shortly after the last round. No dogs, outside food or beverage are allowed at the event.

Admission to the Festival is $10.00 and parking is free. Food, beer and wine will be sold by
Stoweflake.

Along with the pumpkin chuckin’ contest there will be music, a chili cook-off, and kids activities;
all creating an enjoyable fall day. Music for this year's festival will be provided by two bands: House Dunn and John Smyth. No preregistration is required for the trebuchet contest or chili cookoff. There is plenty of time to build a fine trebuchet, or prepare your best chili for the chili
cookoff.

It costs $10 to enter the festival if you are a spectator or trebuchet competitor, but you get in free if you make 2 gallons of chili and compete in the chili cookoff.

INFO: Specifications, rules, and entry information can be found on the festival's website at www.vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.com or contact the festival organizer Dave Jordan at DJordan@GMAVT.com

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Official Rules for competitors

It's Final: The Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival is Number 1 Fan Favorite Fall Festival in USA

Thanks to all our friends, relatives, volunteers, friends of friends, friends of relatives, and all our passionate fans, who voted us the number one US Fall Festival in the month long USA Today, 10Best.com, Best Fall Festival Contest.

Out of the twenty contestants we finished number one overall. Here are your top ten winners:

1. Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival, Stowe, Vermont
2. West Side Nut Club Fall Festival (IN)
3. Trailing of the Sheep Festival (ID)
4. Great Cortland Pumpkinfest (NY)
5. National Apple Harvest Festival (PA) 
6. NH Pumpkin Festival (NH)
7. Warrens Cranberry Festival (WI)
8. Columbus Oktoberfest (OH)
9. Hood River Valley Harvest Fest (OR) 
10. Sonoma County Harvest Fair (CA)
    
    

A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.

These are all some really fun and interesting festivals.

USA Today's email that notified us of the winning results said:

Since this nomination was carefully made by an expert panel, and the public voted for this honor, you have earned some serious bragging rights!

Thank you very much. Yes, we might just make mention of this win.

Thanks again to everyone. There are now only 23 days until the 11th VTPC on Sunday, September 29th, at Stoweflake Mountain Resort. See you all there!

VTPC - Best Fall Festival

Currently the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival is ranked #1 in the USA Today Best Fall Festival Contest. Way to go Vermont!!

The contest runs until noon on August 26. We hope that you continue to support us in this vote. Thank you.

** USA Today  Best Fall Festival Contest **

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** Reminder**
There are only 51 days until the 11th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival on Sunday, September 29th.

Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival - A Best Fall Festival

We have some good news to pass along. A panel of experts has nominated the Vermont Pumpkin' Chuckin' Festival for the 10 Best Fall Festival Category.

Thank you very much USA Today. We are very proud to be included in this list of 20 great Fall Festival nominees. We'll keep our fingers crossed, our trebuchets locked and loaded, and our pumpkins in the sling.

Here below is the link were you can vote in the contest and check-out all the 20 nominees:

If all of Vermont got behind us we might have a chance in this contest. Go Green Mountain State!

Update: Apparently you can vote every day in this contest. Here's the note that pops up after you vote:  "You can cast a vote in each category every day."

The contest will close at noon Aug. 26. The winners will be revealed Sept. 6th.

** USA Today 10 Best Fall Festivals **

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From: Schrandt, Lydia

Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2019 5:32 PM

To: Dave Jordan 

Subject: Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival photo request

NOT for immediate release. Under embargo until MONDAY, JULY 29 at noon ET.

Congratulations!

A panel of experts and 10Best editors have chosen the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival as a nominee for our 2019 10Best Readers' Choice travel awards for the Best Fall Festival category. The contest launches on Monday, July 29, and we wanted to give you a heads-up.

Read more about the contest here and look over the contest rules here.

What you can do before the contest launches:

• Send me a high-res, horizontal image you'd like to accompany your blurb by Sunday, July 28 (these should be images that you own rights to that Gannett and its affiliates, licensees, and content partners can use)
• Prepare a press release announcing your nomination
• Think about how to share your nomination on social media, and remember to tag @10Best

Here's what you can expect from us during and after the contest:

• Contest posted on Facebook and Twitter, with all nominees tagged in each
• Contest categories promoted in a newsletter to our subscribers
• Winners tagged on Facebook and Twitter
• An Instagram post tagging the winner
• A pin on Pinterest linking back to the top 10 winners
• Articles promoting voting and the top 10 winners on 10Best.com with promotion on USA TODAY Travel and local Gannett media outlets
• Possible expanded content covering the first place finisher (we work with winners on a case by case basis to produce articles, videos, slideshows, etc.)

Keep an eye out for an official contest announcement next week, and in the mean time, don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Best,
Lydia Schrandt
Contractor, Sr. Photo Editor/Readers' Choice Production Manager, 10Best

List of 2019 Pumpkin Chuckin' Events

Last updated: September 14, 2019

Courtesy of The Hurl website and checked with some other sources here's a list of Fall Pumpkin Chuckin' Festivals.

The big news is that the World Championships of Punkin Chuckin is moving from Delaware to Rantoul, Illlinois, November 1-3.

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September 2019

September 21-22
Punkin Chunkin Colorado
Location : Aurora, CO
Website : https://www.auroragov.org/things_to_do/events/punkin_chunkin_colorado

September 28
Burlington Pumpkin Pitch
Location : Burlington, WA
Website : https://www.burlington-chamber.com/events/

September 29
Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival
Location : Stoweflake Resort, Stowe, VT
Website : http://vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.com/

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October 2019

October 12
Howard County Punkin Chunkin Fall Festival
Location : Howard, PA
Website : http://www.howardfire.com/punkin--chunkin--fall-festival.html

October 18
Last Fling Pumpkin Sling
Location : Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
Website : http://www.pumpkinsling.com/index.html (It should be noted that this looks to be a schools-only competition)

October 19
1000 Islands Punkin Chunkin
Location : Clayton, NY
Website : http://www.1000islands-clayton.com/punkinchunkinclayton/

October 19
La Jara Smash Fest
Location : La Jara, CO
Website : https://www.facebook.com/La-Jara-Smash-Fest-227614161319293/

October 19-20
Great Pumpkin Fest
Location : Union Grove, WI

Website : https://www.uniongrovechamber.org/great-pumpkin-chuckin-fest

(their website has not updated with this year's dates yet, still looks like its on)

October 19-20
Clay County Punkin Chunkin
Brasstown, NC
Website: https://www.claychambernc.com/alpha-pages/punkin-chunkin-2018/

October 25 (??, yes, currently says on Friday)
Pumpkin Chuck Dayton
Location : Riverside, OH (National Museum of the USAF)
Website : https://www.facebook.com/PumpkinChuckDayton/

October 26
Route 66 Punkin Chunkin
Location : Vinita, OK
Website : https://vinitaareachamberofcommerce.wildapricot.org/event-2892515
(site has not yet been updated with the 2019 date)

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November 2019

November 1-3
World Championships of Punkin Chunkin
Location : Rantoul, IL
Website : https://www.punkinchunkin.com/

November 2
Pumpkin Blast
Location : Meridianville, AL
Website : http://www.pumpkinblast.com/

November 2
Discovery Cube Pumpkin Launch
Location : Fullerton, CA (Cal State Fullerton campus)

Website : https://oc.discoverycube.org/event/pumpkinlaunch/ - 

(site not updated yet, but they have confirmed to hurlingforum)

Music at 2019 Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

This year at the 11th annual VTPC we will be honored to have these outstanding musicians performing on Sunday, September 29th, 2019, at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort:

House Dunn

John Smyth

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Only 81 days until the 11th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival.