Ryan Villiers is the winner for Hope鈥檚 2025 World Class Chainsaw Carving event.
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon (Aug. 17) as a large crowd gathered to see which of the 12 carvers would win this year鈥檚 competition in Memorial Park. The carvers had been creating a storm of wood shavings since Thursday, as they skillfully shaped their logs into impressive works of art. And, after four days of roaring chainsaws, Hope鈥檚 Community in Bloom crowned the winners of the Pro-Carver class.
Villiers won the bi-annual competition with his carving of a blue whale pushing a small boat into the air out of its blowhole, with a Sasquatch paddling the boat.
Villiers is well known in Hope for his carvings of Sylvester Stallone as Rambo, Brian Dennehy as Sheriff Will Teasle, the Grinch, and the Cookie Monster for Boston Bar Elementary and Secondary School.
Based out of Alberta, Villiers first started carving in 2017 after seeing the Timber Kings and Carver Kings shows on television. Since then he鈥檚 made a name for himself competing in competitions all over North America and Germany, and being part of different television shows. This includes being a finalist on A Cut Above in 2022, and being on the Jennifer Hudson Show twice.
He enjoys creating realistic works, whether it be animals or humans, as well as carvings with pop culture and cartoon inspired themes.
This is Villiers鈥� second year winning the chainsaw carving competition in Hope. His previous win was in 2023 for his carving of a mountain lion mother and cub hunting salmon.
Second place went to Mark Colp鈥檚 carving of B.C. animals which also won this year鈥檚 People鈥檚 Choice award.
Third place when to Chris Foltz鈥檚 carving of Canadian superhero Wolverine.
During the event, the crowd had the chance to bid on the pieces created during the speed carving competition (which took place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) as well as the main competition鈥檚 finished entry pieces. During the auction for the large carvings, which took place on Sunday, Colp鈥檚 piece sold for $5,500, making it this year鈥檚 most expensive item bid on during the chainsaw event.
The second most expensive carving bid on was Villiers鈥� carving, which sold for $4,500. The third most expensive was Brigette Lochhead鈥檚 carving, which sold for $4,000. Lochhead carved three salmon jumping through the water.
In total, $23,000 was raised during the large carving auction.
In addition to bidding on the carvings, people were also able to shop at the Chamber Market in the Park and buy bannock, hotdogs, burgers, and poutine from the food trucks and vendors.
During the competition鈥檚 closing remarks, Hope Communities in Bloom Co-Chair Teresa Williams thanked the volunteers, who had been working hard since last Tuesday (Aug. 12) to get the competition ready, and Mayor Victor Smith for his support and for emceeing the event.
Smith also acknowledged the carvers and their incredible work this year.
鈥淲hen you see the TV shows, they try to have the good guy and bad guy. And there is no good guy or bad guy,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淎ll the carvers get along. And it鈥檚 like a brotherhood, or sisterhood. And they create amazing art. They will actually help each other get better and better. And it鈥檚 just amazing.鈥�
The District of Hope ended up keeping four of the large carving entries, which they plan to place permanently throughout town. The pieces kept were Hope鈥檚 very own Hannu Yliruusi鈥檚 carving of two sea turtles, Benji Waretini-Hemara鈥檚 carving of a lynx, Marina Cole鈥檚 carving of a woman holding the world while being surrounded by a ring of light, and Porter Foltz鈥檚 carving of a dachshund.
Smith said Porter鈥檚 carving will be placed in front of the Hope dog park. Meanwhile, Yliruusi鈥檚 piece is being considered for the Dan Sharrers Aquatic Centre. Locations for Cole鈥檚 and Waretini-Hemara鈥檚 works have yet to be decided.
