By Ben Orcutt -- Daily Staff Writer

FRONT ROYAL — The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show at the 51st annual Warren County Fair is a hit with the young and the young at heart.

Under sun-drenched skies and a cool breeze, Friday fairgoers were treated to an array of lumberjack skills presented by three journeymen performers. In his thick, native Wisconsin accent, veteran lumberjack showman Mark Kiser introduced his partners.

First up was James O'Dell, 47, of Summersville, W.Va., the 2002 West Virginia state underhanded chopping champion. O'Dell took just 34 seconds to cut through a log with his accuracy and precision, amazing onlookers.

O'Dell then teamed with Fred Sayklly Jr. of Escanaba, Mich., on the cross-cut saw to challenge the chainsaw-wielding Kiser to a log-cutting contest. Kiser dropped the first contest but then switched to a larger, more powerful chainsaw and bested his competitors to the delight of the crowd.

The final contest was between Kiser and Sayklly in logrolling, with Sayklly defeating Kiser in the best of three rounds. O'Dell told the crowd that a good logroller was a preferred dance partner "because he was so smooth on his feet."

Dawson Swartz, 5, of Strasburg, was the proud recipient of a small chair that Kiser carved out of a log with a chainsaw. Dawson said he was going to "let my stuffed animals set on it."

Dawson was accompanied by his mother, Jennifer, his brother, Chevy, 11, cousin Nicole, 11, and grandfather Ronnie Arthur of Stephens City.

Joye Wood is in her 22nd year as the Warren County Fair director and she too says the lumberjack show appears to be a big hit. Wood said the show is the brainchild of entertainment committee chairman Dennis Grove and Tom Eshelman.

"We try to get something different all the time," Wood said.

Kiser, 51, has been a finalist in the world logrolling contest for ages 45 and above the last four years. He's from Hayward, Wis., home of the Lumberjack World Championships.

Like his comrades at the Warren County Fair, Kiser enjoys performing, especially "the interaction with the people, giving people some entertainment and making them laugh."

Even though they were engaged in a friendly competition at the fair, Kiser and Sayklly were keenly focused on the other's feet and their expertise was readily apparent.

Kiser called the kind of logrolling exhibition they were performing "bucking," where one competitor moves forward and the other backward.

"When somebody's moving forward, you've got to go backwards as fast as you can," Kiser said.

Kiser said the show used to include volunteers from the crowd before insurance became an issue. Since logrolling is much more difficult than it appears, volunteers usually lasted only a few seconds, Kiser said.

Like Kiser, Sayklly, 50, has been competing and performing for four decades. In 1981, Sayklly was the world champion logroller.

"That was such a thrill," he said. "I got to be on ABC's Wide World of Sports."

Sayklly said he too enjoys the rapport with the audience.

"I like it when the kids, they laugh and when we fall in the water," he said. "And even the parents like it. It makes them feel good."

Sayklly said the lumberjacks sign chips of wood for the youngsters and it's especially gratifying when they return to a venue and a child will come up and show them the wood chip they previously signed.

Sayklly acknowledges that he won't get rich performing, but is quick to add that "I sure enjoy doing it."

Two more lumberjack shows are scheduled for tonight and are included in the price of admission to the fair. For times, call 635-5827.

* Contact Ben Orcutt at borcutt@nvdaily.com