The number one Elzar Ramirez was wearing at the beginning of the contest merely signaled he was first on the list of the 47 skilled farmworkers who had gathered at the Gamble/Beringer vineyard Yountville Friday to test their pruning skills against others.

At the end of the contest, however, he’d earned that number one in another way: Judges ranked him the best for the quality of his work as well as his speed.

It was the sixth annual contest sponsored by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers, an event to showcase the talents of the men responsible for what grapegrower Jim Vehey described as the most important activity that takes place in the vineyard.

Pruning takes place between December and March in the valley, when dormant vines are trimmed back to maintain balanced vines and the desired cropload.

 Jennifer Kopp, the executive director of the grapegrowers, said prior to the contest that many vineyard managers hold competitions within their own companies before sending their top pruners to the county finals. The contestants, she added, “are all all-stars.”

“Pruning sets the tone for the year’s crop, gives you the opportunity to set the quality and balance by leaving the right amount of bud a vine can handle,” said Mike Nuñez, a vineyard manager from the Napa Sonoma Vineyard Group, who participated in the contest “to see what the competition is like.”

Napa Valley is known for “quality more than speed, he said, but in his business, “we want quality, but we want to meet the client’s budget too.”

Speed was worth 20 percent of the total points the contestants could earn as each took a turn under a cloudless sky; they trimmed six vines each as judges watched with timers in their hands. Afterwards, the work was evaluated on everything from whether the worker had left the right amount of buds to whether they’d left any debris uncollected.

Representing Opus One winery in Oakville were Eloy Paniaguaga Zamudio and vineyard manager Juan Martinez. Last year Zamudo came in second in the contest. Both formerly worked at Robert Mondavi Winery, and after the winery was acquired by Constellation, Martinez moved to Opus where he was told he could pick his crew. “I was able to bring the best guys from Mondavi,” Martinez explained. One of his first choices was Zamudo.

Speaking in Spanish, Zamudo said he was grateful for the opportunity to work with Opus winemaker Michael Selachi. “He provides us with everything we need,” Zamudo said. “I feel proud of him and respect him, and he respects us. He gives us opportunities. He goes out and walks in the vineyards, and he pays attention to quality and details. This is why he is so successful.”

After the contestants finished, the judges huddled to tally scores and the group, along with staff from the grapegrowers, volunteers and members of the press, ate tacos provided by Hudson Vineyards. When the eight semi-finalists were announced, they headed back into the vineyards for a second round of pruning.

Gaspar Roby, a vineyard manager for Beckstoffer, also served as an unofficial translator, making the announcements in Spanish to the assembled group. “It is a great event,” he said. “It sets the standards.”

The winners, announced after the final round, took their place on Olympic-style boxes holding the prizes they’d earned. First place winner Ramirez of Swanson Vineyards received $800 plus Felco shears, saw and loppers. In second place, Jorge Santos of Trefethen Vineyards took home $400 plus Felco shears and a hand saw. In third place Alejandro Gayton of Beckstoffer Vineyards was awarded $200 and shears, and fourth place went to Rigoberto Cordova of Vino Farms, who received $100 and shears.

Ramirez spoke in Spanish to the press who surrounded him as he explained that he has worked at Swanson for 20 years but this is only his second year competing. A native of Michoacán who lives in Napa with his wife and three children, he said of all the work he does in the vineyards, pruning is his favorite. “I wish to thank the company for sending me and the 10 people I work with,” he said.

Asked to what he attributed his success, Ramirez said modestly, “Suerte” — luck.

And asked if he considered pruning to be an art, he replied,  “Para mi, sí,” he said. “For me, yes.”

This year’s contest received support from Kelly Maher Viticultural Services, Felco, Hudson Vineyards, Harlan Estate, Napa Valley Ag Supply, Central Valley Builders Supply, Lampson Tractor, Rainbow Ag, Pahlmeyer, Walsh Vineyard Management, California Grapevine Nursery, Sunridge Nurseries, Vintage Bank, Pina Vineyard Management, Premiere Viticultural Services, Snowden Vineyards, A & J Ag Supply and North Coast Irrigation.

The winners of the 2007 Napa Valley Grapegrowers Pruning Contest:

First place: Elzar Ramirez of Swanson Vineyards

Second place: Jorge Santos of Trefethen Vineyards

Third place: Alejandro Gayton of Beckstoffer Vineyards

Fourth place: Rigoberto Cordova of Vino Farms