Page 10 - ND25 TPW web

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Equipment Rodeo

Honestly, it IS about bragging rights Wheel Loader and Auto Refuse
for a year. Truck, the Equipment Rodeo was
The yearly Equipment Rodeo, held at the nearby Agricenter
a perennial favorite (and highly International on a well-designed
competitive) Annual Conference event, course maximizing usable space.
once again provided an outstanding Approximately 110 operators
showcase for our state’s skilled operators (including two women) took part
to finesse multiple pieces of machinery. in this year’s rodeo. There were
These Public Works professionals make a lot of familiar faces, but also
it look easy to possess the skills needed some new participants.
to maneuver those massive machines. Rodeo participants practiced
Since each brand and model of heavy on the machinery in the morning
machinery may have different features before a delicious barbeque lunch
and consoles, the controls are varied and sponsored by Environmental Products hitting cones along the course, or for not
not all in the same place. Group and Schaefer Plastics North returning each cart to its target area. If an
Plus, not every city owns enough America. operator emptied and returned all three
equipment for their daily tasks to have Operators were tested on time and carts perfectly, another competitor could
participants in each event category. skill. For example, with the auto refuse still move ahead with a faster time.
Providing enough equipment to host the truck event, competitors proceeded to Small cash prizes, cowboy hats and
statewide competition can be a challenge the first trash cart, set the parking brake engraved Case® knives were awarded to
for cities hosting the Annual Conference, and picked up the cart, demonstrated the top winners in each category and to
but Memphis was up to the task with dumping the empty container before the top three overall winners. The agency
key equipment provided by Thompson returning the cart to the target area. After with the most winners also received
Machinery Products and others. two more stops, the truck returned to special recognition. NDOT proudly (and
Featuring competitions with the Skid the starting line position. Points were raucously) accepted the team trophy this
Steer, Backhoe, Knuckle Boom, Gradall, lost for not emptying the cart, or for year.

1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd
In the OVERALL COMPETITION, first place went to Anthony German, In the SKID STEER COMPETITION, first place went to Anthony German,
Germantown; second place went to Richard Skelton, Germantown; and Germantown; second place went to Richard Skelton, Germantown; and
third place went to Dylan Van Wynen, NDOT. third place went to Tim Merriman, Alcoa.

1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd

In the BACKHOE COMPETITION, first place went to Brant Morgan, Germantown; In the WHEEL LOADER COMPETITION, first place went to Jim Merriman, Alcoa;
second place went to Richard Skelton, Germantown; and third place went to second place went to Matthew Cooper, Lebanon; and third place went to
Todd Heier, Knoxville. Joe Meehan, Chattanooga.
10 TPW November/December 2025