Page 7 - ND25 TPW web

Tuesday: Equipment Rodeo, Exhibition Hall
Opening, Rodeo Awards, Host City Reception and
Young Professionals Party at Top Golf
Tuesday dawned bright and early for the
annual Equipment Rodeo, beginning with a 9
a.m. practice session at Agricenter International
and a tasty barbeque lunch, leading into the
always-competitive afternoon Rodeo competition.
Madonna Learning Center brought a group of
their clients to enjoy the rodeo and the large
equipment. One of the young men commented
that sitting in the Bobcat was “the coolest thing he
had ever done!”
Back at the hotel’s Exhibition Hall, scores of
vendors and exhibitors kicked off the Exhibit
Hall opening at 4 p.m., manning the informative
booths and displays.
After giving thanks and remarks by Jonathan
Whitfield, TCAPWA West Branch Director,
Ethan Skaggs, Chapter President-Elect, welcomed
attendees to the Germantown Host City Reception
and Rodeo Awards Ceremony. Kimberly
Strong, Chapter President, presided over the
Chapter Branch Roll Call. Each Branch was well
represented but perhaps not surprising, the West
Branch outnumbered the rest.
Skaggs joined Shane Snoderly, Chapter Vice
President and Awards Chairperson, for the
Equipment Rodeo Awards Presentation. The top
three Rodeo winners in each category went home
with small cash prizes. The first-place winner in
each category also took home a black cowboy
hat, engraved Case® knife and bragging rights for
the next year. The top overall winner received
the coveted white cowboy hat. The NDOT
competitors took home the trophy for the Team
Competition.
Rodeo winners are spotlighted on page 10.
Following the day’s ending announcements
by Mark Miller, Chapter Administrator, the
conference’s participants dispersed to travel to
the always-popular annual Young Professionals
networking event at TopGolf, sponsored by
Gresham Smith and OHM Advisors.
Wednesday: Vendor Breakfast, Chapter Meeting,
TCAPWA Awards Ceremony, Technical Sessions
and Closing Party at Lafayette’s Music Room
Final day of the conference! The vendor
breakfast and chapter meeting kicked things off
in the Exhibition Hall at 8 a.m. Ethan Skaggs,
President Elect, shared the Chapter’s appreciation
to the many Conference Sponsors and Exhibitors
who made the event possible.
The Chapter Business meeting was held next to
introduce the slate of proposed TCAPWA officers
for 2026. The vote was unanimous to accept those
nominated. The new board members and their
contact information will be published in our
January/February 2026 issue. Continued on page 8

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