Thank you for the thank you. Pruning can be baffling for all of us and I'm always trying to think of new ways to explain what I think are best methods, particularly with apples. The trees and others are still teaching me- that's for sure.

This year I have a greater focus on making sure the spur leaves are drenched in light through spring to help assure annual cropping and better apples. The growing shoots give the apples and buds of next years flowers almost nothing, apparently.

Actually, keeping lots of light on the spurs can probably be more easily accomplished with open center training, although I will generally stick with central leader with apples- at least for the first couple decades of a tree's life. Either shape works in the home orchard, IMO.