Miller’s Tree Service hosted its annual tree climbing competition on Friday January, 30th, bringing together elite arborists from across the country for a high-energy, festival-like event highlighting the advanced skills, safety expertise, and precision required in professional tree care.
The competition featured five demanding events designed to mirror real-world arborist challenges. These included rope placement using a throw line, timed rope and hand climbs, simulated rescue scenarios, and work-climb skill challenges such as limb walking, stick toss, saw balance, and landing precision. All events were timed, with points awarded for accuracy and technique. The competition was governed by rules set by the International Tree Climbing Competition, which is governed by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
The event also served as a qualifying competition for the Florida Tree Climbing Championships, giving competitors the opportunity to advance while testing their abilities against fellow experts. Four members of the Miller’s Tree Service Team will advance to the state competition held this March in Mount Dora, Florida.
“We are proud of the expertise our team has developed, climbing trees through our business,” said Clay Culpepper, partner at Miller’s Tree Service. “These men are among the best in the country at what they do, and our annual competition gives them the chance to test those abilities against each other in a friendly environment that promotes safety, training, and teamwork.”
Competitors were evaluated on essential arborist skills, including balance, rope control, limb walking, and climbing techniques that protect the long-term health of the tree, skills that directly translate to safer and higher-quality service for customers. The competition drew visiting teams from Illinois and Wisconsin, including arborists from Tree Care Enterprises and Tree Wise Men. Live commentary from tree care professionals gave spectators real-time insight into the complexity and athleticism of competitive tree climbing.
For participants, the competition emphasizes safety, teamwork, and professional growth.
“This is an opportunity to test our climbing skills, practice safety measures, and build camaraderie amongst our teams,” said Tim Walters, Partner and Operations Manager at Miller’s Tree Service. “It’s also a true competition among experts, with winners advancing to the state championships here in Florida.”
Walters is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA), the highest level of certification offered by the International Society of Arboriculture. Fewer than two percent of ISA Certified Arborists hold the BCMA credential, which requires passing an extensive scenario-based exam and adhering to strict ethical standards. Walters is currently the only active commercial BCMA in Tallahassee.
“At Miller’s Tree Service, we believe that expert tree care starts with knowing our way around trees,” said Bryan Wilson, Partner at Miller’s Tree Service and an ISA Certified Arborist and ISA Certified Tree Climber. “That means climbing, scaling, swinging, and walking through diverse tree canopies. Our annual competition is a showcase of those abilities and a fun way to celebrate our love for this work.”
The overall winners for the 2026 Miller’s Tree Service Tree Climbing Competition were:
- Bailey Sumner, Miller’s Tree Service
- Matt Richards, Tree Care Enterprises
- Miguel Diego Juan, Miller’s Tree Service
- Mychal Messenger, Tree Care Enterprises
These four Miller’s Tree Service team members will represent the company at the annual Florida Tree Climbing Competition in March 2026:
- Bailey Sumner
- Miguel Diego Juan
- Diego Perez
- Miller Ellinor
With pride on full display among competitors, the event highlighted not only technical excellence but also the passion arborists bring to their craft, reinforcing why professional tree care demands both skill and respect for the natural environment.
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