Rock Stacking World Championship 2016
A group gathers to watch the rock balancing competition which has contestants balance as many as they can in 2 minutes at the Llano Environmental Arts Festival Saturday March 12, 2016. The Llano Environmental Arts Festival bills itself as the rock stacking championships of the world. Rock balancing is an art, discipline, or hobby (depending upon the intent of the practitioner) in which rocks are balanced on top of one another in various positions. There are no tricks involved to aid in the balancing, such as adhesives, wires, supports, or rings. (Photo by Chris LeBlanc/American-Statesman)
Michael Swartz, of Austin, who goes by Mogli, volunteered at the festival this year but took some time out to work on his rock stacking before the crowds showed up for the day in Llano for the festival, Saturday March 12, 2016. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Randall McGehee, (cq) right, and his son James from Noonday, TX spent the night to take advantage of the weekend Llano Earth Art Fest. Randall has been stacking rocks for 20 years and taught his sons the art, Saturday March 12, 2016. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Rock balancer Sterling Gregory of Dayton OH, sketches the work of another rock stacker. He stacked the day before and planned to spend a good part of Saturday sketching the work of his peers. Tom Anderson, a “pro” from Pennsylvania works on a dry spot in the river duing the LEAF festival, Saturday March 12,2016. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Tim Anderson, a balancer from Pennsylvania, works in the Llano river with stones he has gathered for his stack Saturday March 12, 2016. His work can be seen online at keystonebalance.com. He is considered a “pro” in the rock balance world. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Festival goers surround Tara Long from Mason, TX as she works to complete a balanced rock stack in two minutes for competition. Her stack tumbled a few seconds later forcing her to start again Saturday March 12, 2016. Several contests were held at the Llano environmental Arts Festival on Saturday including height stacking, arches and artistic. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Tamra Bolton pulls back and waits to see if her rock stack is balanced during the balance competition of the festival in Llano Saturday march 12, 2016. The LEAF festival boast the Rock Stacking Championship of the World. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Shawn Fullerton, of Leander, seen through an arch of balanced rocks, works on his own small stack March 12, 2016 at the Llano Earth Art Fest. He and his brother Paul enjoyed stacking rocks on a open space near the arch. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Seemingly impossible balancing of rocks could be scene all over the park along the Llano River in Llano TX fro the Environmental Arts Festival. People from all overcame to enjoy the talent of pros and test their own rock balancing talents March 12, 2016. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Seemingly impossible balancing of rocks could be scene all over the park along the Llano River in Llano TX fro the Environmental Arts Festival. People from all overcame to enjoy the talent of pros and test their own rock balancing talents March 12, 2016. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Tim Anderson takes a photograph of his final rock stack. Anderson, rock balancing “pro” from Pennsylvania, carefully worked to balance his stack on a dry spot in the Llano river Saturday March 12, 2016. He was an honored guest of the festival and enjoyed visiting Texas so he came for another year. The river was higher this year because of the rains so the balancers could not get to the better rock that were available last year. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Rock stacks on rocks could be seen everywhere all over the park along the Llano River in Llano TX for the Llano Earth Art Fest. People from all overcame to enjoy the talent of pros and test their own rock balancing talents March 12, 2016. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
David Allen of Maine relaxes after stacking his rocks in a heavy traffic area of the festival, Saturday March 12, 2016. Allen has been creating environmental public art installations for about 20 years. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Stacks built by the McGehee family of Noonday, TX lines the banks of the Llano River in Llano. The Llano Environmental Arts Festival, or LEAF, runs over 3 days and draws rock stackers from all over North America. The river was running higher and faster than the year before, presenting the contestants with new challenges. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Nationally known rock balancer Michael Grab came to the festival from Boulder Colorado. Grab has been balancing since 2008. The balance of this large rock worked eventually for Grab but the formation tumbled as he was getting his camera to shoot it Saturday, March 12,2016. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Tim Anderson, rock balancing “pro” from Pennsylvania, carefully works to balance his stack on a dry spot in the Llano river Saturday March 12, 2016. He was an honored guest of the festival and enjoyed visiting Texas so he came for another year. The river was higher this year because of the rains so the balancers could not get to the better rock that were available last year. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Robert Santa of Fredericksburg, TX watches the balance competition at the Llano Environmental Arts Festival Saturday March 12, 2016. His unique ball cap captured the spirit of the festival. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Tim Anderson, rock balancing “pro” from Pennsylvania, carefully works to balance his stack on a dry spot in the Llano river Saturday March 12, 2016. He was an honored guest of the festival and enjoyed visiting Texas so he came for another year. The river was higher this year because of the rains so the balancers could not get to the better rock that were available last year. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)
Tim Anderson final balanced rock stack in the Llano River. Tim Anderson, rock balancing “pro” from Pennsylvania, carefully worked to balance his stack on a dry spot in the Llano river Saturday March 12, 2016. He was an honored guest of the festival and enjoyed visiting Texas so he came for another year. The river was higher this year because of the rains so the balancers could not get to the better rock that were available last year. (Photo by Nell Carroll/American-Statesman)