Davidson Mayor John Woods took home the gnome – the winner’s prize – last week after crushing Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain and their Cornelius colleague Jeff Tarte at a friendly axe tossing event in preparation for the Loch Norman Highland Games.

Woods landed eight of his 10 throws on the target stump, with Swain hitting two, Tarte nailing seven and Cornelius Commissioner Jim Bensman landing four.

What was the key to Woods success? Practice.

“In the little towns, we throw axes a lot,” he joked.

The officials ribbed one another about their throws and joked about imagining political rivals as the target.

The Rural Hill event promoted the Scottish games at the Neck Road location which take place Friday through Sunday, April 15-17. For more information on the festival and a list of events, visit www.ruralhillscottishfestivals.org.