The NDSU Horticulture and Forestry Club placed first overall for the third year in a row at the Mid-America Collegiate Horticultural Society annual meeting and competition hosted by Colorado State University Sept. 27-29. 

The winning NDSU team topped squads from Iowa State University, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, University of Minnesota-Crookston, and South Dakota State University. Team members were Jason Gilbraith, a horticulture production management major and business entrepreneurship minor from Fargo; Connor Hagemeyer, a senior horticulture science major from Clara City, Minnesota; Torie Jones, a senior horticulture, public history and history major from Fessenden, North Dakota; and Garrett Schumacher, a senior horticulture production management major and business management minor from Heron Lake, Minnesota.

Hagemeyer and Jones also placed individually. Hagemeyer received first place individual, first place in woody plant identification, first place in general knowledge and second place in herbaceous plant identification. Jones received third place in fruit, vegetable and plant judging and third place in woody plant identification.

Competing in individual events were Cameron Dahnke, a freshman horticulture landscape management major student from St. Cloud, Minnesota; Kevin Friedt, a freshman horticulture landscape management major and business administration minor from Harvey, North Dakota; Wyatt Schumacher, a freshman horticulture student from Heron Lake, Minnesota; and Klarissa Walvatne, a junior agricultural economics and international studies student from Battle Lake, Minnesota.

The competition consisted of four areas: general knowledge, herbaceous plant identification, woody plant identification, and fruit, vegetable and plant judging.

The NDSU Horticulture and Forestry Club is advised by Department of Plant Sciences faculty members Harlene Hatterman-Valenti and Todd West.

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