There's not a lot of timber in Las Vegas, but a new participant at this year's 53rd Annual North Fork Logger's Jamboree, Tom Martin, has returned to his dessert home as the jamboree's newly crowned All Around Championship Logger.

Martin accumulated enough points to win the title with a first place in the Hand Chopping event and two first place team finishes with partner Jim Taylor in Tree Falling and Double Hand Bucking. Martin also placed third in Choker Setting.

For his efforts, Martin won about $600 in prize money and a custom throwing axe made by Craig Pinkerton.

Hutchens, who was born and raised in North Fork and who's father J.T. Hutchens, was a logger for 45 years, said although it was the first time Martin had participated in the Jamboree, he is well known for competing in other logging shows.

"In the Tree Falling contest, he dropped the 30-foot fir log dead center," Hutchens said.

Martin also helps college students in a logging event competition at the annual Sierra Cascade Logging Conference.

Second place all-around logger was five-time champion Nathan Hodges of North Fork with Jim Taylor of Grass Valley placing third. Taylor has won the title of All Around Logger 13 times with his first title coming 41 years ago.

Jessie Hutchens, who co-chairs the event with Cathey Thornburg, called this year's event "the best show we have had in years with 68 contestants and a high level of competition in each event."

Nathan Hodges and Dexter Evans won the Pro-Am portion of the event competing in the Axe Throw, Choker Setting, Stock Power Saw and Double Hand Bucking.

Piotrowski crowned Jamboree queen

Crystal Piotrowski, 14, the daughter of John and Michelle Piotrowski and a student at Minarets High School, was crowned Jamboree Queen, selling 792 $2 tickets to the event.

Sidney Thornburg-Frausto was named Little Princess (500 tickets) and John Quigley was this year's Little Logger (1,561 tickets).

The event raised $15,000 for the North Fork Boosters for maintenance of the North Fork Recreation Center and the free Summer Youth Program that is open to all children in the area.

Parade winners

George Priest from North Fork's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7140 led Saturday's North Fork Loggers Jamboree parade as color guard and Smoky Bear ended it reminding everyone to help prevent forest fires. In between individuals and groups covered the parade route through North Fork, touting the theme "Green Then, Green Now, Green Forever."

Winning entries in the 2012 Loggers Jamboree parade included the Davis family with 'Autism Awareness Goes Green' for Best Theme Float and the North Fork Women's Club, the oldest service organization in North Fork, celebrating the 4th of July.

Equestrian group winners were the American Spirit Riders from North Fork and surrounding Mountain Area, the 2012 Coarsegold Rodeo Royalty including Queen Samantha Shier and Princess Katie McDougald won Equestrian Duo and J.T. Hutchens won in the Solo Rider division. He was accompanied by his great granddaughter, Cambria Gilchrist.

Other winners were the 2011 Little Logger Marshall Lavell-Curtiss's family float. Marshall was accompanied by his great grandfather, the last founding father of the Loggers Jamboree, Herb Punkin.John Fabris also won in the float category with "Rocket Logger."

The Sierra Mono Museum won the best float for an organization, carrying the reigning royalty and the contestants for this year's Indian Fair Days and Pow Wow event which will be Aug. 4 and 5 at Recreation Center.

Best Auto was Stan Whitson in his 1919 Model T Roadster, with his great grandchildren Josiah, Adalie, Elias and Freney riding with him.

Best North Fork Merchant float was won by Gas n' Stuf, driven by John Glenos with owners Ken and Gurjeet Sodi on the float and Lil' Princess winner Sidney Thornburg Frausto won riding an ATV with her mom, Tricia Thornburg.

Mitchell Uribe and Dillon Fink won the Bicycle Riders category.

Horseshoe tournament

Kenny Wyatt won the title of Most Valuable Player at the Jamboree's Horseshoe Pitching Tournament and was awarded a two night stay at a cabin at The Redwoods in Yosemite donated by Susan Punkin.

The tournament is dedicated to the memory of two avid horseshoers, Tim Punkin and Joe Rogozienski.

Team winners were:

First place: Arthur Burt and Cisco Delacarza
Second place: Dale Tex and Leif Rowland
Third place: Jacob Ross and Gary Daniels
Fourth place: Kenny Wyatt and Rudy Bates

Pro Am Results (Saturday)

1st Dexter Evans, Nathan Hodges
2nd Aaron Morrow, Jeremy Middleton
3rd Buck Scroggs, Rory Castro
4th Tom Wheeler, Kenny Quigley

Jason Tayler Axe Throw
1st Pete Curtis
2nd Nathan Hodges
3rd Mike Morrow
4th Jerry Hodges

Working Saw
1st Eyler Harrison
2nd Aaron Morrow
3rd Bill Antill
4th Mike Morrow

Professional Results (Sunday Events)

Champion Logger
1st Tom Martin
2nd Nathan Hodges
3rd Jim Taylor

Axe Throw
1st Nathan Hodges
2nd Jim Taylor
3rd Kyle Jansen
4th Dale Tex
5th Bob Maldonado

Choker Setting
1st Nathan Hodges
2nd Charlie Rose
3rd Tom Martin
4th Daniel Ching
5th Buck Scroggs

Stock Power Saw
1st Bill Davis
2nd Aaron Morrow
3rd Bob Maldonado
4th Riley Allen
5th Tom Wheeler

Hand Chopping
1st Tom Martin
2nd Mitch Richardson
3rd Walt Page
4th Riley Allen
5th Nate Hodges

Log Birling
1st Nathan Hodges
2nd Burl Wade
3rd Jerry Hodges
4th Pat Hodges

Hot Power Saw
1st Mike Morrow
2nd Tom Nelson
3rd Indy Elming
4th Tim Elming

Ladies Power Saw
1st Sue Lavell
2nd Kittie Lavell
3rd Cathy Hodges
4th Kathy Logee

Tree Falling
1st Tom Martin/Jim Taylor
2nd Jim Taylor
3rd Mitch Richardson
4th Bill Davis

Double Hand Bucking
1st Tom Martin/Jim Taylor
2nd Walt Page/Mitch Richardson
3rd Aaron Morrow/Mike Morrow
4th Wesly Palmer/Burl Wade
5th Eyler Harrison/ George Harrison

Ladies Axe Throw
1st Kathy Logee
2nd Shannon Raley
3rd Cathy Hodges
4th MacKenzie Pinkerton

Jack and Jill
1st Jim Taylor/Carol Taylor
2nd Nate Hodges/Kittie Lavel
3rd George & Tina Harrison
4th Aaron & Bev Morrow