CEDARBURG — Professional tree climbers from all over the state are meeting in Cedarburg for the Wisconsin Tree Climbing Championship. But it's not the kind of tree climbing you're probably thinking of.
“I’ve climbed a lot of trees when I was a kid, and there’s definitely times where it's like this is cool. I have literally been doing this since I was a little six-year-old kid, and now I’m doing it for a living," Johanna O'Boyle, a two-time Wisconsin state champion tree climber, said.
She isn't just a tree climber. She is an arborist and owns Ursa Minor Tree Care. O'Boyle is one of 40 competitors fighting for the title of tree climbing champion. It's hosted by the Wisconsin Arborist Association. The winner will get to compete in an international tournament.
“So the competition is basically a sped-up version of skills that we have to demonstrate every day in tree care," O'Boyle said.
It's not just who can climb the fastest. Competitors are also judged on skill and safety - how well can they use their gear, their command of the tree, and efficiency.
This is a big event that attracts people from all over the state. With all arborist's eyes on Cedarburg, it's putting pressure on the hometown hero.
“I’m here to defend my title and my home turf, and a lot of folks are hungry for the tile," Andrew Gollnick, a three-time station champion, said.
He is a Cedarburg native, co-owns Gollnick and Sons Tree Service, and is ready to defend his crown.
Andrew Gollnick is a Cedarburg native, co-owns Gollnick and Sons Tree Service, and isn’t about to let anyone take his crown from him. He won in 2018, 2019, and 2022.
“A lot of these folks that I’m competing with, against, are fellow companies bidding on the same jobs," Gollnick said.
Even though these arborists compete for business Monday-Friday and glory during the state championship, Gollnick said there's no bad blood between competing businesses.
"This is a fun time to come together and share tips and tricks on techniques that we're using and have a lot of fun," he said.
Beyond climbing, the weekend focuses on continuing education for arborists to maintain and obtain certain certifications.
“We go over various things through the day from climbing, ergonomics, safety, and sometimes we do tree biology," Gary Kohler, the chairman of Wisconsin Arborist Association Tree Climbing Chairman, said.
The event is happening all weekend long. It’s free and open to the public. The finals are on Sunday.
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