Scrambling up a 30-foot vertical log takes brute strength and finesse. When Jenifer Stuart alternately stomps her spurs into the log and flicks the climbing rope around it, she makes it look, if not easy, at least do-able.

Stuart, who soon will start her junior year at Philomath High School, is part of a demonstration team from the school showing their stuff during three shows daily at the Benton County Fair this year.

"It just takes a lot of practice," Stuart said. "When you're learning, you practice by just taking a few steps and coming back down.

Forestry students learn a variety of forestry skills, including cable splicing, tree identification, tree climbing and choker-setting.

The Philomath group is well-suited to demonstrate forest skills: the school is a four-time state champion in a place known for its loggers.

"It's not as competitive as regular sports; we're all friends," said Derek Davis, a 2005 Philomath graduate who is helping to coordinate the fair demonstration. "After an event, if you beat someone, you're just as likely to go over and help them."

Davis was part of a championship team at Philomath and went on to a short career on the Oregon State University logging sports team. He's helped by Beth and Susan Torgerson, class of 2008. The trio coordinated the event and oversaw the 20 students taking part in the event.

Nearly 50 students are part of the forestry club at Philomath High School out of a total population of 600.

This year, the fair demonstration features axe throwing, crosscutting with a two-person saw, birling (better known as log-rolling, but officially called birling when done in water), pole climbing, and a series of choker races. Chokers are short lengths of metal cable used to reach around logs to drag them from the forest.

Trevor Davis, who will be a senior this year at Philomath High School, took part in several events, including the axe throw. He prefers a two-handed overhead toss when flipping the twin-blade, long-handled tool toward the target. But one-handed and underhand styles are just as good, he said.

"You pretty much just go up there and try stuff until something works," he said. "Everyone has their own way of doing it."

Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net