Benn MacDonald – Head of Officiating

What venue are you associated with?  Far Shot Recreation, USA and Far Shot Recreation, CAN

What is your day job (if it’s not axe throwing)? Axe Throwing Venue Owner

How long have you been a part of the axe throwing community? Since 2016

How did you get introduced into the axe throwing community/WATL?  Opened a venue in 2016/ founding member of WATL

Any community achievements? Head of Officiating for the World Axe Throwing League, Far Shot won the 2017 WATL Championships

Random fun fact about yourself that has nothing to do with axe throwing. I have 6 kids and I enjoy banana pudding (when my kids don’t steal it) and reading (who has time to read with 6 kids?!).

Tabitha Carroll – Head Judge

What venue are you associated with? The Axe House Cleveland

What is your day job (if it’s not axe throwing)? Running our venue full time & judging all of you at tournaments.

How long have you been a part of the axe throwing community? Since 2019

How did you get introduced into the axe throwing community/WATL? Went throwing with my husband🪓.

Any community achievements? I worked tirelessly and spent many hours with all of you these past few years and I am now the official Head Judge of WATL!

Random fun fact about yourself that has nothing to do with axe throwing. I love our two huskies, and I have an aquarium that I’m obsessed with which is dedicated to my aquatic snails.

Kyle Rickenbaugh – Council President

What venue are you associated with? Plaid & Timber Axe Throwing Company

What is your day job (if it’s not axe throwing)? Owning and operating the venue.

How long have you been a part of the axe throwing community? Since 2019

How did you get introduced into the axe throwing community/WATL?  A mixture of a few things. First was competing in QATL and the Global Team Throwdown. I was the captain of Team Indiana. Second was by going to a major tournament. I went to Ironside in 2020 as my first major WATL tournament.

Any community achievements? Judging the first televised WKTL finals on ESPN during the 2021 US Open.

Random fun fact about yourself that has nothing to do with axe throwing. I am a certified professional bike fitter. I have spent 1000s of hours ensuring that competitive road cyclists, triathletes, mountain bikers, and weekend warrior riders are biomechanically in the best possible position to get the most out of their bodies while riding. I love rolling up to tournaments blaring some T. Swift.

Lucas Johnson

What venue are you associated with?  Murfreesboro Axe

What is your day job (if it’s not axe throwing)? Axe Throwing Venue Owner – Escape Game Tech/Install

How long have you been a part of the axe throwing community? Since 2020

How did you get introduced into the axe throwing community/WATL?  I went axe throwing back in 2017 but didn’t go again for 2 years and opened our venue in 2019. 2020 I got into competitive throwing during QATL and the online challenges/tournaments.

Any community achievements? 2020 Duals World Champion
2021 Duals World Champion
Highest Season Score ever recorded 1709

Random fun fact about yourself that has nothing to do with axe throwing. I’ve played over 500+ Escape Games throughout the United States and some in Canada.
Cuddled with Taylor Swift.

Alison Fawthrop

What venue are you associated with? Drengr Axe Throwing

What is your day job (if it’s not axe throwing)? Real Estate Investor

How long have you been a part of the axe throwing community? Since 2018

How did you get introduced into the axe throwing community/WATL?  First date with Brandon Johnson

Any community achievements? 2022 Head Award given at WATC by Women’s Axe Council, 2021 Best Judge Award given by Texas Axe Throwing Association (TATA), 2022 Volunteer of the Year Award TATA Awards, 2023 Texas Heart Award TATA Awards

Random fun fact about yourself that has nothing to do with axe throwing. I’m a Brit and have lived all over the world.

Erika Brynildsen

What venue are you associated with? Riverbend Axe Throwing

What is your day job (if it’s not axe throwing)? Chief Nursing Officer of Anderson Rehabilitation Institute

How long have you been a part of the axe throwing community? Since 2019

How did you get introduced into the axe throwing community/WATL? At the end of 2018 I surprised my husband, Daniel, with an axe throwing date. We both hadn’t done it and both had a blast. We then did axe throwing with a couple of other groups in our lives. Every time it was the same thing, most people hadn’t done it and everyone had a blast. Both with entrepreneurial blood, we decided our hometown desperately needed an axe throwing venue because there was nothing fun for young adults to do besides bars. So we opened our venue in September of 2019 and fell in love with the sport.

Any community achievements? One of the founding members of the Women’s Axe Council, 2022 Best New Tournament, Community Ambassador, taught by Tyler and Dannielle approved Bracket Manager. Doting wife of a pro axe thrower and mom and responsible party of the cutest duals team – go Mad Sisters!

Random fun fact about yourself that has nothing to do with axe throwing. I have 4 kids of my own and 7 (and growing) axe children (“Axe Mom”).

Thaddius Shipley

What venue are you associated with? Primal Axe House

What is your day job (if it’s not axe throwing)? Retired Farrier (Horseshoer/blacksmith)

How long have you been a part of the axe throwing community? Since 2019

How did you get introduced into the axe throwing community/WATL?  With a group party just having fun!

Any community achievements? 

Founder of SWATL (Senior Axe Throwing League), owner of “RECTIFI” (video analysis for the axe thrower)

Random fun fact about yourself that has nothing to do with axe throwing. I love overland camping and I’m a former baseball coach and hitting instructor.