Oregon Public Broadcasting

Get out to your yard and select your plumpest, reddest tomato! The Oregon state fair starts in Salem Friday. While there will be the usual ribbons for the healthiest vegetable and fattest hog, a national lumberjack championship is expected to be the biggest draw. Kristian Foden-Vencil talked to one athlete and has this preview of what you’ll find at the fair this year.

In and among the prize sheep, blue ribbons and extra large produce this year, 43 lumberjacks from across the country will compete for the title of Stihl Timbersports National Champion. 

Aptly named Mike Forrester, a 44-year-old contractor from Glide, Oregon, says it's great fun.

Mike Forrester: "If you get a nice axe that matches the block of wood. It's kind of effortless, you're swinging it. You know it makes you feel good. You get a high off it of a little bit."

Lest you think you might be able to turn up and have a go, Forrester says it's serious competition.

Mike Forrester: "In the off-season we'll lift, keep cardio and stuff. Work on our gear and we'll actually start training and honing our skills back up. And then once the season starts we're about two hours a night training."

Forrester competes almost every weekend during the summer, flying across the country in the hope of a share of the purse. But this National Championship in Salem is the big Kahuna.

Mike Forrester: "If you win the whole thing you get a brand new Dodge Ram truck and $10,000."

The winner will also get the chance to compete next weekend in Australia for the World Championships.

Roger Phelps is a spokesman for the championship underwriter Sthl.

Roger Phelps: "We started the series 25-years ago in the United States. The goal was to find the worlds best lumber jack athlete. We started with small regional shows and started growing. We captured the interest of ESPN and have been on ESPN for the past 25 years, which is only slightly longer than ESPN has been in existence."

But chain saws and axes are only a small part of the state fair.

It takes about 25,0004 people to put on dozens of events over the next 11 days. They include: 4-H competitions -- named for 'Head, Heart, Hands and Health' --  and a carnival.

There will also be Future Farmers of America competitions, 80 food booths and says fair manager Connie Bradley, a cool  dinosaur exhibit.

Connie Bradley: "35 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs inside the pavillion. And kids will be able to interact with the dinosaurs. There's a dinosaur ride, a huge sandpit to dig in and all kinds of family fun."

Connie says you can also sample 200 award winning Oregon wines. But no home brew.

An overlooked, 80-year-old statute says Oregon home-brewed beer can't leave the home. Last year the competition had more than 300 entrants.

A bill is expected to be introduced at the next legislature to bring the competition back.

Meanwhile, the fair runs through Labor Day. As many as 375,000 people are expected.