Chain Saw Carving or Full Throttle Art Takes Endurance, Talent and Competitive Savvy to Win the 6th Annual ECHO Championship

CHICAGO, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Think of it as the Super Bowl of chain saw carving. Four of the best chain saw artists on the circuit will once again return to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® in New Mexico October 1-3 to carve for the Make-a-Wish® Foundation of New Mexico and compete in the 6th Annual ECHO National Chain Saw Carving Championship.

Who will be judged the superior carver?  Mike Bihlmaier (Marengo, IL), Mark Colp (Lakeport, CA), Jason Emmons (French Lick, IN), and Bob King (Edgewood, WA) are all members of ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment's national carving team.

This highly talented gang of four are professional full time carvers who make their livelihood sculpting commission work, competing in competitions and making appearances under the ECHO banner. Ramping up the excitement this year is whether another championship upset looms.  Last year Jason Emmons captured first place from three-time winner Bob King.  Mark Colp won "People's Choice" for the second year in a row.  

You can follow the team as the tension ramps up via the their Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/echocarving.  Here you can watch the event unfold, view the finished sculptures and  'vote' for your favorite piece.  Video footage will be posted at www.youtube.com/echousa as the championship progresses.

The four professional carvers will compete for cash prizes and the prestigious ECHO Carving Cup.  They have 22 hours to produce masterpiece sculptures under the Balloon Fiesta theme, "Earth, Wind & Flyers."  On Sunday, October 3rd, the sculptures will be judged and then auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the Make-a-Wish® Foundation of New Mexico.  The Foundation grants "wishes" to children who have a life threatening medical condition.  

This is the third year the National Championship has been held at the Balloon Fiesta to benefit the Make-a-Wish® Foundation of New Mexico.  Past auctions and raffles from this event and the second weekend's Regional Chain Saw Carving Championship have raised close to $80,000 for the non-profit.

The Balloon Fiesta is the perfect visual venue for the unique art of chain saw carving.  With more than 700 participating balloons, Balloon Fiesta is the largest ballooning event in the world, the most photographed event on Earth and the largest annual international event held in the U.S.  Visit www.balloonfiesta.com for more details.

ECHO INCORPORATED is a leading manufacturer of professional-grade, high performance hand-held outdoor power equipment for commercial and residential use.  For more information, visit www.echo-usa.com.

SOURCE ECHO Incorporated