Parker Carter and Andrew Crook examine a model of the floating pivot trebuchet they are building for Saturdays Pumpkin Toss to be held Saturday Oct. 22, 2022.
NORTH LOGAN – Students at Utah State University and members of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) were busy putting their engineering skills to finish their trebuchets for Saturday’s annual pumpkin toss.
There are not many things more spectacular than watching an orange pumpkin flying some 300 feet in the air and hitting a set target.
The students are working with North Logan City to hold their annual Pumpkin Toss using trebuchets on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Elkridge Park, 1190 E 2500 in North Logan.
Freshman engineering student Dillon Ash defined a trebuchet as a tool used in medieval times to launch large rocks at enemies.
“They used them on dead cows to get them out of a field,” he said. “They later used them to launch boulders at their enemies during a war.”
The annual Pumpkin Toss is one of ASME’s more exciting and fun events of the year. Teams build trebuchets and compete as they launch pumpkins across the field and try to hit pianos, trampolines, fridges, furniture, or whatever North Logan City can find. Sponsors help provide supplies, and the ASME council does what they can do to help along the way.
Some of the launchers are made out of wood and some are made out of steel.
Jackson Smith, the treasurer of ASME, said they have been holding the event for years.
“This event consists of teams building trebuchets to launch pumpkins at targets and compete for distance, accuracy, and design,” Smith said. “This event is attended by thousands of people and is sponsored by companies such as Space Dynamics Lab, Home Depot, Chick-fil-A, and many others.”
Local food trucks and university clubs will have booths set up for attendees to eat, drink and interact with each other. We would like to invite the public to attend this event and see what the Engineering Department at Utah State University has to offer.
Parker Carter, the graduate advisor, said they should have 10 teams with eight members.
“Last year, we had about 2,500 people that came to watch,” he said. “That was during COVID; we are expecting more this year.”
Carter said last year the furthest pumpkin was launched 380 feet.
“We will have the area fenced off where the pumpkins land so people can watch it at a safe distance,” he said. “We should have at least four pivot and at least four fixed-pivot trebuchets.”
Carter said in the past the pivot trebuchets have generally thrown the pumpkins further.