Horticulture students win championship at regional competition

Students from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls earned first-place team honors at the Mid-America Collegiate Horticultural Society (MACHS) Conference Horticulture Competition held Oct. 16-17 at Iowa State University.

Eight UWRF students competed in four core divisions central to horticultural education and industry readiness: plant judging, woody plant identification, herbaceous plant identification and a general knowledge examination.

The UWRF team captured the overall championship based on combined team scores in a series of horticulture knowledge and judging contests. The four-member team included senior horticulture majors Savina Felsch of Minnesota City, Minn., Emma Olson of Whitewater, Zack Biskupski of Farmington, Minn. and Madeline Boyer of Westlake, Ohio, a double major in horticulture and animal science.

In addition to the team championship, three society members earned individual awards. Felsch won the general knowledge and judging divisions and was named the overall individual champion. Olson placed third in the general knowledge division and Myla Welle of Wausau, a sophomore horticulture major, earned second place in plant judging.

David Zlesak, professor of horticulture, and Sonja Maki, associate professor of horticulture, mentored the team.

“We are very proud of our students,” Zlesak said. “They represented UWRF well not only in the competition, but also through their professionalism, collegiality, passion for learning during the tours and events, and kindness.”

This year's MACHS gathering brought together 41 students and seven advisers from seven institutions: South Dakota State University, North Dakota State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Des Moines Area Community College, the University of Minnesota-Crookston, Iowa State University and UWRF.

The conference also featured industry tours and networking opportunities for students pursuing careers in horticulture and related fields.

“I am so proud of our horticulture students and professors and the work we did to make this conference happen,” said Boyer, treasurer of the UWRF Horticulture Society. “MACHS is a wonderful opportunity for us to meet future colleagues and learn about the horticulture industry across the Midwest.”

Photo: Members of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Horticulture Society earned first-place team honors at the Mid-America Collegiate Horticultural Society Conference Horticulture Competition held Oct. 16-17 at Iowa State University. Three members also earned individual awards. From left: first-place team members Zach Biskupski, Savina Felsch, Madeline Boyer and Emma Olson.