Anvil shooters come to Farmington, competitor loses thumb

FARMINGTON, MO (KRCU) - The country’s best anvil shooters gathered in Farmington, Missouri this weekend for the U.S. Championship Anvil Shooting Competition.

The explosive tournament attracted competitors from as far away as Connecticut … but a Missourian walked home with the trophy.

Twelve teams stuffed black powder underneath anvils, lit fuses, and launched them into the sky.

Columbia, Missouri’s 22-year old anvil shooter Curtis Bollinger won the competition by blasting his anvil 202 feet into the air in the championship round. He beat Farmington’s own Gay Wilkinson, who has been shooting anvils for two decades.

"I wouldn’t lie to you. I would have liked to have won it," Wilkinson said. "But to see a young, first-time shooter to win it … that’s what it’s all about. We want to continue the sport. It gives me something to shoot at. It will probably weld that anvil shooter in him for the rest of his life."

One competitor was seriously injured in the tournament. Tim Ryan from North Carolina lost his thumb when his anvil prematurely ignited. He was airlifted to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. Four member of a Science Channel film crew were treated for burns at a local hospital.

The entire competition was recorded by the Science Channel. The Mythbusters’ Tory Belecci served as the program’s host.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Posted in: anvil shooting,Curtis Bollinger,Farmingon,Gay Wilkinson,Tim Ryan