This week the ‘talk in the trees’ series catches up with the reigning World Tree Climbing Champion, Chrissy Spence.  Chrissy claimed the 2016 title with a stunning climb in San Antonio, Texas, in April of this year.  A four time World Champion, Chrissy also held the title in 2005, 2007 and 2011.

1. I became an arborist because...
I suffer from ADHD. And this is a good way to control it.

2. My favourite tree is…
A mature Oak tree.

3. I won’t leave home without…
Car keys.

4. The perfect day at work would include…
Getting a cuppa tea and home made cookies for morning tea.

5. The worst part of my job is...
Having the customer tell me how to do my job!

6. The best slice of wisdom I can pass on is...
Listen to your gut instinct, most of the time its right.

7. If I could hang out in a tree with one person (past/present/living/dead), it would be…
This is a hard one. I have been lucky enough to go climbing with lots of cool people.

8. The one tree I’d like to climb is…
The big trees in the west coast of America

9. If I wasn’t an arborist I’d be a…
Jet boat driver.

10. True Tale or Tall Tale? Once upon a time I…
One day at work, I was on stop go duties. My 2 work mates were just cutting a small tree down on the side of the road and chipping everything. One of them had relieved himself at the front of the chipper where nobody could see him, which had left a puddle under the engine. Then he went back to the Foreman who was cutting trees down and tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the puddle under the engine.  Because the engine had been running full for an hour and was still running loudly the Foreman went racing over to the chipper, went down on his knees and put his hand in the puddle to identify what liquid it could be that the chipper was losing. After a few sniffs he jumped up turned round to his work mate who was laughing hard out and in his anger the Foreman tried to tackle the worker to the ground…but he was way bigger.

This week we fire some questions at the New Zealand Champion climber, Dale Thomas. Dale is kept busy with his company, NWA (Nor West Arb Auckland), as well as Kiwi Klimbers, makers of some very cool equipment. In between all the work and surfing, we managed to catch up with Dale…

1. I became an arborist because...
I was working at a gas station & was the owner of a car with many dings.

2. My favourite tree is…
In the back of the truck already… BOOM

3. I won’t leave home without…
Brixton, my pup.

4. The perfect day at work would include…
Mid Feb – good coffee to start. Rigging down a big gummy with some close mates. Hell banter on the coms. A cheeky surf during an extended lunch break. Well earned cold beer to wash the saw dust down while making fun of the apprentice’s bum fluff goatee.

5. The worst part of my job is...
NZ winter = RAIN

6. The best slice of wisdom I can pass on is...
Climb high and Cut true (cheers K-bone)

7. If I could hang out in a tree with one person (past/present/living/dead), it would be…
The notorious BIG. Would look funny in a harness.

8. The one tree I’d like to climb is…
The one tree hill pine back in the day.

9. If I wasn’t an arborist I’d be a…
Product developer / 3d design engineer.

10. True Tale or Tall Tale? Once upon a time I…
Fell off a crane hook and rag dolled 12m through a gum tree to the ground.

Welcome to the first of a new series, called “A Talk in the Trees with…” In each blog, we’ll be firing 10 quick questions at well-known arborists from all around the world. First up is our friend Jake Riggs, from Riggs Tree Service in Pennsylvania.

1. I became an arborist because…
I am a 3rd generation tree climber, both my father and grandfather were well established climbers in the Main Line (western suburbs of Philadelphia). I was working on weekends, spring and summer breaks since I was 13. I always enjoyed it, I was a timer at the Tree Climbing competitions when I was 8, climbed my first tree when I was 13, and never looked back. I love what I do.

2. My favourite tree is…
A white Oak. I love the shagged bark, and the ease you have climbing through the canopy. They are just strong and elegant, not much more you can say.

3. I won’t leave home without…
I will always have a saddle, boots, helmet and a rope in my truck at all times. I have spare gear in my truck for when I go away on vacation or traveling, you never know when you can get a rec climb in.

4. The perfect day at work would include…
Not a person complaining all day. When everyone is in a good mood, which is rare, the day goes by so fast when everyone is enjoying themselves. I know it’s hard work but there is no reason to make it miserable.

5. The worst part of my job is…
Bees! There is nothing worse than flying through the canopy, putting a re-direct in and spider down right into a white face hornet nest. Also, when you start putting a face cut in a hollow tree and you happen to hit the yellow jacket nest that you somehow avoided all day lowering, yeah, those are the fun ones.

6. The best slice of wisdom I can pass on is…
The best way to learn is by watching. This is key, even if you’re an aspiring climber, or you just want to stay on the ground. They key to learning is by watching and asking a lot of questions. I use to watch the best climbers, the best. I would always ask questions like; Why’d you do that? How’d you do that? where’d you tie that last limb up and why? There is no wrong question.

7. If I could hang out in a tree with one person (past/present/living/dead), it would be…
My old man when he was in his 20’s. I’ve heard from many people that he was great in the tree. I only saw him climb in his late 30’s, which was nothing short of amazing. It’s just not the same when you’re in your 20’s because you feel invincible and it’s all just fun and good sport no matter how hard the climb is.

8. The one tree I’d like to climb is…
The redwoods out in California. Hands down my goal in the next couple years. I’m ready for that climb, you’ll feel on top of the world.

9. If I wasn’t an arborist I’d be a…
Pilot, either a Helicopter or an Airline. You get to travel for free, stay in any hotel, get the best views in the house all the time. I did a semester for Private Pilot when I graduated High School, the regular school part wasn’t for me, but the piloting exams and simulators were awesome. But I could never go back and change me becoming an arborist, I love it.

10. True Tale or Tall Tale? Once upon a time I…
filled an entire knuckleboom log truck with stump grindings with my foreman. The plan was stump grind 4 or 5 stumps in the middle of a school yard, but the crane didn’t have enough counterweights or something, who knows. So now me and my foreman go there with a couple landscape trash cans and a roll cart and have to bring all the grindings through the school and onto the truck. It was a never ending pile of grindings.