Smashing pumpkins -- the old fashioned way

October 29, 3:17 PMDenver People ExaminerErnie Tucker

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A man and his trebuchet ... out to launch. (Photo: Dwayne Beuthel)

The witching hour is almost here. And so is the pitching hour for pumpkins.

When we last encountered the various Princes of Pumpkin Smashing who competed Oct. 11 at Aurora's annual Jack-O-Launch, we learned about modern technologies. And while compressed air canons and the like are fine, there's something to be said for tradition -- medieval vintage.

That's where Dwayne Beuthel comes in.

He brought his trebuchet -- a type of device once used to hurl stones, cows and sleeping trolls at castles by folks like Richard the Lionhart in 1191 -- to the event. And when the dust and must cleared, he'd slung his veggie projectile a winning 414 feet. How did this modern day videographer manage this?

   
"I would like to think that I have a good design, It is an older trebuchet, almost 6 years old, and very reliable. (I have hundreds of shots through it), but I keep it in good shape," he says.

This was his fourth year. But he doesn't stop in Aurora. Gadzooks, no!

"I also set both of my trebuchets up at the Estes Park Scottish/Irish Highland Festival each year and throw bowling balls, and rocks into the lake," he says.

The most satisfying thing, he says, is "watching the pumpkin or whatever ammo is used fly. Also, just the beauty of the machine as it fires."

Like a chivalrous craftsman, he's happy to offer advice, cautioning apprentices new to this sport to avoid "over-engineering...when they make their machines. They don't realize just how much force is involved. A one-inch pipe will bend very easily with the force that is involved. Plan ahead, don't try to do this at the last minuet, it takes time to make a good machine. A good place to start is www.trebuchet.com."

And so, as others nationwide gear up for the National Punkin Chunkin competition starting on Halloween in Bridgeville, Deleware, Coloradans can take pride in knowing that their home-grown champ stands ready to fire home-grown orange missiles in defense of this state's honor.