FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Des Moines, IA) - River Ridge Tree Farms of Crumpler, N.C., was selected as Grand Champion of the National Christmas Tree Contest this summer at the National Christmas Tree Association’s (NCTA) Annual Convention & Trade Show. Business partners Jessie Davis and Russell Estes are the owners and operators of the tree farm that submitted the prize winning Fraser fir Christmas Tree. As Grand Champion Christmas Tree growers, Davis and Estes will present the official White House Christmas Tree to First Lady Laura Bush for the 2008 Christmas season.
Davis and Estes received first-place in the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association tree contest in Jackson County, N.C., in September 2007. That regional victory qualified them for the chance to compete at the national level in Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 13-16, 2008.
Trees in the contest competed in four categories: true firs, Douglas-firs, spruces and pines. Each convention attendee received an individual ballot to vote on the tree of their choice in each category on the floor of the trade show. The tree with the most votes in each category received a first place ribbon. Then a panel of judges from outside the industry each chose what they believed to be the top two trees among the first place winners. The Grand Champion and Reserve Champion trees were announced at the Closing Banquet.
“With our real trees right out in front of the public, it strengthens the fact that farm-grown trees are such an asset to the environment,” says National Christmas Tree Association President Mark Steelhammer, a Christmas Tree grower from Rochester, Wash.. “There is nothing better for this industry, and it is by far the highest honor you could ever receive as a tree farmer.”
River Ridge Tree Farms was founded in 1983 by Jessie Davis and his father-in-law, Joe Pennington. After Pennington passed away in 2003, Rusty Estes became Davis’ partner. The farm has trees planted in locations throughout northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia. The tree that will be presented to the First Lady at the White House will be chosen from a field of trees that were planted in 1985 by Davis and Pennington. Davis and his partner are proud to see one of the farm’s original trees represent the industry in Washington.
“It should represent all tree farms to the nation,” says Jessie Davis, about the White House tree presentation. “The White House deserves the best quality tree and we believe that a Real Tree can represent the nation well.” When asked about his feelings after the big announcement he responded, “we were very excited, it felt like winning the Super Bowl!”
In addition, Evergreen Acres Tree Farm, owned by Paul and Sharon Shealer of Auburn, Pa., was selected as the Reserve Champion in the National Tree Contest.
Complete List of Highest Finishers (by Category)
True Fir
Third Place: Bill Krelle, Double K Christmas Tree Farm, Petaluma, CA
Second Place- Sue Bostic, Joe’s Trees, Newport, VA
First Place (Grand Champion)- Jessie Davis and Russell Estes, River Ridge Tree Farms, Crumpler, NC
Douglas-fir
Second Place- Bryan Holler, Holler Trees, Shepherdstown, WV
First Place (Reserve Champion)- Paul and Sharon Shealer, Evergreen Acres Tree Farm, Auburn, PA
Spruce
Third Place- Duke Wheeler, Whitehouse Christmas Tree Farm, Whitehouse, OH
Second Place- Lynn Schmitt, Schmitt Tree Farms, Holt, MO
First Place- Larry Smith, Mountain Top Fraser Fir, Newland, NC
Pine
Second Place- Scott Heeren, Hensler Nursery Inc., Hamlet, IN
First Place-Robert Moulds, Wapsie Pines Tree Farm, Fairbank, IA
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National Christmas Tree Association
16020 Swingley Ridge Rd
Suite 300
Chesterfield, MO 63017
636/449-5071
Fax: 636/449-5051
www.RealChristmasTrees.org
