Virginia FFA State Forestry Field Day featured timber competitions and exposed youth to industry careers

Source: VA Farm Bureau

DOSWELL, VA — You could follow a trail of sawdust across the grounds at the State Fair of Virginia to find hundreds of Virginia FFA students participating in Department of Forestry timber sports competitions.

The annual event is hosted by the Virginia FFA organization in partnership with DOF. This year’s competition, held at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County on Sept. 30, featured various timber sports including crosscut saw and bow saw use, log roll, log throw and water accuracy.

Seventy statewide FFA teams totaling about 280 students competed in the 2025 Forestry Field Day. Image credit - VA Farm Bureau

Meanwhile, 4-H forestry teams participated in a Junior Foresters Contest the same day, which included a written component where students answered questions about forestry, identified tree species and named forest-related tools and diseases.

Mountain Gateway Community College’s Forestry Department personnel volunteer at both of these events.

“These competitions bring forestry skills to life,” said DOF forest technician Will Reed, who was involved with event coordination.

Brody Pugh, an eighth grader at James Wood Middle School in Frederick County, participated in the bow saw competition for the second time since joining FFA in sixth grade.

A bow saw is a hand-powered, metal-framed saw with a tensioned blade used for cutting logs and is often featured in forestry sports competitions. Pugh placed fifth overall.

“Last year I didn’t make it all the way through the wood,” he said. “But this year I made it in 35 seconds!”

While Pugh is interested in diesel mechanics, his school’s agriculture teacher, Austin Duncan, encouraged him to compete in Forestry Field Day.

“He said I would be good at it,” Pugh recalled. “I tried, and Mr. Dunkin was right.”

Young foresters also compete in similar competitions at Lumberjack Field Day every June during DOF’s Camp Woods and Wildlife, formerly called Holiday Lake Forestry Camp, offering forestry opportunities to students for over 70 years.

Reed said he competed in forestry skills competitions as a high school student himself in King William County.

“For me, I want to see these kids have fun, get hands-on experience, and learn something new,” he said. “And several show interest in a possible career in forestry.”

The event was supported by the Virginia Forest Products Association, which provided T-shirts and a chainsaw given to the top-winning senior team. James River Equipment sponsored the premiums for the top individuals and teams in both contests.