San Luis Obispo hosted the annual Western Chapter Tree Climbing Competition this weekend.
Competitor Sarah Santee, an arborist and foreman in West Sacramento, says she fell in love with arboriculture seven years ago.
“ A tree is a puzzle,” Santee told KCBX. “You have to figure out, ‘Hey, if I need to trim way over here, how do I get there with this tie in?’”
The challenges at the competition in San Luis Obispo’s Meadow park tested participants on a variety of skills. One event involved installing a rope to a tie-in point, another had competitors race up a tree with a belay system.
“ They're all timed, they're scored differently, so you have to get the best score you possibly can,” Santee said.
The winners of Saturday’s preliminary events, like Santee, went onto the Master’s Challenge on Sunday.
As a profession, arborists specialize in the care of trees. That can look like diagnosing an infestation, or climbing 20 feet in order to prune a tall tree.
“It's kind of like a labor of love,” said Edward Lai, who competed in Saturday’s events. “If you're passionate about tree work and not just there for a job, you come here to do competitions.”
Jared Abrojena, the chair of the North American Tree Climbing Championship, said the competition is based on skills that arborists and tree workers use day-to-day.
“Not too many people know that there are professional arborists in the world, let alone a tree climbing competition,” said Abrojena, a second-generation arborist. “It is inspiring people to see that our trade is a true profession.”
Santee ultimately placed third in the women’s Masters' Challenge.
“ I care how I do to be honest with you, but at the same time I'm here for fun, I'm here to learn and just get better,” she said.
Trevor Long took first place in the men’s division, and 2024 Western Chapter champion Kate Miller won in the women’s division.
The winners of the Western Chapter Tree Climbing Competition now qualify for October’s International Tree Climbing Championship scheduled for October in St. Louis, Missouri.
