though, and these teams were ready to snatch the win and all the prizes that awaited them. NATS added a new challenge to the fi- nals course, too. Located at the Outdoor Full-Scale Model Work Zone, teams not only had to cut cookies and fell a lean- ing log but also use a ground anchor and notch cuts to fell another log into a tight drop zone — and of course, clean up all the debris from the worksite aerwards. Before the finals began, the Clear Choice team demonstrated the same cool confidence as last year. The most important part of their strat- egy? “Communication,” Cleary stated. “If you don’t have clear communication, you’re not going to be working as a team — it’s going to be him versus me.” While Hilton and Cleary showed some impressive skills in the semi-finals, unfortunately, they finished second and wouldn’t be able to claim a back- to-back win. Despite the early end to their run, the Clear Choice team didn’t allow this to dampen their spirits or take away from the experience.
Many people come to ArborEXPO™ for the gear, demos, and classes, but they leave talking about the connections they made.
the crowd with a swi win, taking the title of the very first ArborSPORTS™ winners in just 2 minutes and 59 sec- onds, sawing, rigging, and clearing with impressive efficiency, communi- cation, and confidence. Back for a second round at this year’s ArborEXPO™, it was no surprise that the pair cleared the preliminary round without breaking much of a sweat. “We look forward to this event and this place all year long,” Hilton shared.
COMPETITION AND EXCITEMENT GROWS FOR ARBORSPORTS™ Beyond connections made between booths was the quintessential Arbor- EXPO™ event that combined camara- derie, technical skill, safety, and team- work — ArborSPORTS™ . Returning for its second year in partnership with North American Training Solutions (NATS) , this event once again com-
With a new year came new competition,
prised an indoor qualifying event and outdoor finals. With even more prizes, competitors, and spectators than ever, ArborSPORTS™ demonstrated just how much the expo continues to grow and the legacy carried with it. THE RETURNING CHAMPS If you took home the winning axes from the inaugural ArborSPORTS™, would you try again for another year? For Adam Hilton and Richard Cleary of Clear Choice Tree Service , the answer was a no-brainer.
ArborSPORTS™ returned for the second year, bigger and more intense! From chainsaw cutting to technical rigging, arborists put their talents to the test in this fun and spirited competition.
Last year, Hilton and Cleary stunned
46 | Spring 2026 ArborTIMES ™
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online