Kids took center stage this weekend at the Junior Buckley Log Show, demonstrating feats of strength and agility from rope climbing and ax throwing (with only wooden axes for the little ones).

With the main event coming up this weekend, the fun is only beginning. The log show, which is free to the public, is returning for its 48th year after skipping #47 last year due to the pandemic.

The main show starts this Saturday off with a 10 a.m. parade on Main Street, which usually consists of large logging trucks and other oversized vehicles.

Then the logging events begin at noon over at the Log Show grounds, located to the north of the city before the White River Bridge. (The Sunday show begins at 11 a.m.) Competitions include speed climbing, where contestants race up a 75-foot spar tree; obstacle bucking, where loggers race across a log suspended over a pool of water to saw through a 14-foot alder; ax throwing; log rolling; and myriad other events that include chainsaws, axes, and flying wood.

Besides watching powerful men and women vying to be awarded All-Around Logger, Log Show attendees also typically enjoy various food vendors, a beer garden, and a live auction to help support the event.

After the show’s cancellation last year, Log Show president Jeff Fetter said he’s hoping for – and expecting – a big turnout this time around. Fetter pushed the show back this year to start after the Washington State Fair with a sharp tactic in mind: If the fair isn’t shut down despite drawing more than a million people each year, then the Log Show is probably safe too.

“Everybody and their brother” has been calling and begging to keep the show open this year, Fetter said.

At the junior show, 109 kids from three to 17 years old competed in choker setting, rope climbing, obstacle pole bucking, log rolling, tree climbing and more. Young kids threw wooden axes instead of the real kind.

Jr. Buckley Log Show results:

Wooden Ax Toss (ages three to five)

First: Miller Huizenga, 76’

Second: Braylin Smith, 55’

Third: Uriah Paterik, 54’8”

Wooden Ax Toss (ages six to seven)

First: Jack Malgesini, 79’5”

Second: Henry Kelly, 76’

Third: Jaeda Walker, 68’9”

Ax Throw (ages eight to 10)

First: Dash Dahlstrom with 14 points.

Second: Wyatt Thompson with 11 points.

Third: Gage Snope with 7 points.

Ax Throw (ages 11 to 13)

First: Bo Burbank with 11 points.

Second: Riley Skogen with 11 points.

Third: Copley Pete with 11 points.

Ax Throw (ages 14 to 17)

First: Jace Osborn with 7 points.

Second: Anders Hansen with 7 points.

Third: Alle Klemkow with 7 points.

Choker Setting (ages three to four)

First: Paislee Olson, 17.18

Second: Barrett Atkins, 18.87

Third: Prescott Collins, 21.35

Choker Setting (ages five to six)

First: Wyatt Olson, 8.25

Second: Payton Durkin, 9.48

Third: Mila Clinkingbeard, 10.03

Choker Setting (ages seven to eight)

First: Kasen Yeaman, 7.61

Second: Easton Erfle, 8.14

Third: Brodyn Britschgi, 8.60

Choker Setting (ages nine to 10)

First: Parker Truong, 10.40

Second: Jaxon Walker, 11.25

Third: Andy Wytko Jr., 11.56

Choker Setting (ages 11 to 12)

First: Jaelyn Anderson, 8.62

Second: Liam Harding, 10.34

Third: Jake Daniel, 10.44

Choker Setting (ages 13 to 14)

First: Brad Burbank, 9.31

Second: Jace Osborn, 10.81

Third: Faith Layton, 12

Choker Setting (ages 15 to 17)

First: Anders Hansen, 24.56

Second: Alle Klemkow, 31.78

Third: Sophie Ross-Soler, 36.38

Horizontal Block Chop (ages 12 to 13)

First: Brad Burbank, 1:04.03

Second: Bo Burbank, 2:41.47

Horizontal Block Chop (ages 14 to 15)

No entries.

Horizontal Block Chop (ages 16 to 17)

First place: Anders Hansen, 58.94.

Rope Climb (ages 5 to 6)

First: Lachlan Lawrence, 1.5

Second: Deyton Cunningham, 2.15

Third: Zoey Nunnally, 2.31.

Rope Climb (ages 7 to 8)

First: Kasen Yeaman, 5.84

Second: Declan Clark, 7.04

Third: Brodyn Britschgi, 7.32

Rope Climb (ages 9 to 10)

First: Weston Blenkhorn, 13.34

Second: Lia Kilcup, 19.66

Rope Climb (ages 11 to 12)

First: Lucy Kilcup, 21,79

Second: Jamesyn Hemphill, 23,38

Third: Liam Harding, 33.31

Rope Climb (ages 13 to 14)

First: Jace Osborn, 38,20

Second: Alexis Durkin, 48.57

Rope Climb (ages 15 to 17)

First: Anders Hansen, 18

Obstacle Pole Bucking (ages 8 to 10)

First: Weston Blenkhorn, 5.5

Second: Jaxon Walker, 5.93

Third: Brodyn Britschgi, 6.54

Obstacle Pole Bucking (ages 11 to 13)

First: Brad Burbank, 6.12

Second: Jaelyn Anderson, 6.7

Third: Lucy Kilcup, 6.75

Obstacle Pole Bucking (ages 14 to 17)

First: Sophie Ross-Soler, 7.12

Second: Jace Osborn, 8.44

Third: Alle Klemkow, 9.04

Log Rolling (ages 9 to 10)

First: Weston Blenkhorn

Second: Parker Truong

Third: Malachi Collins

Log Rolling (ages 11 to 12)

First: Riley Skogen

Second: Jaelyn Anderson

Third: Liam Harding

Log Rolling (ages 13 to 14)

First: Jace Osborn

Second: Alexis Durkan

Third: Brad Burbank

Log Rolling (ages 15 to 17)

First: Sophie Ross-Soler

Second: Alle Klemkow

Third: Ella Klemkow

Tree Climbing (all ages)

No entries.

Double Bucking (ages 11 to 13)

First: Jack Robbins and August Hermanson, 28.44

Second: Copley Pete and Brad Burbank, 30.13

Third: Chandler Huizenga and Kale Rohmer, 30.28

Double Bucking (ages 14 to 15)

First: Dean Cochran and Bo Burbank, 29.62

Second: Lena Bishop and Ella Klemkow, 31.07

Third: Jace Osborn and Chloe Britschgi, 32.69

Double Bucking (ages 16 to 17)

First: Anders Hansen and Meagan Burkett, 18.31.

Photo by Ashley Britschgi Brodyn Britschgi braves the rope climb.

Jace Osborn and Dean Cochran take a splash. Photo by Ashley Britschgi.

Photo by Ashley Britschgi Paislee Olson sets a choker around a log of wood.

Photo by Ashley Britschgi Twins Ella and Alle Klemkow compete against each other for first and second place.

Liam Clinkingbeard climbs up the rope. Photo by Ashley Britschgi.