TRENTON – Veteran Australian chopper Kerry Head knocked off perennial finalists from New Zealand Jason Wynyard and David Bolstad in the underhand chop, and rookie Ivor Thomas of New Zealand won the standing block as the Stihl Timbersports Series kicked off at the Great Maine Lumberjack Show site Thursday.

Bolstad won the hot saw and springboard, and Wynyard, the four-time defending champion, took the stock saw and single buck.

There are 28 competitors vying for a spot in the top 12 and a chance to compete in the next round in Branson, Missouri. Competition continued Friday and will go from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.