12/19/24 @ 11:00 a.m.
On Thursday, December 12, 2024, Ring Power hosted the Nassau County Equipment Rodeo at the Road Department on Pea Farm Road. This event consists of individual challenges designed to test the operator's skills in a variety of areas including speed, accuracy, and precision. The operators competed on a variety of heavy equipment including small excavators, wheeled excavators, backhoe loaders, and small wheel loaders. Below is a summary of the challenges and the top competitor for each category:
Challenge #1 — Using a 7 ton excavator, the Participant starts from the bucket on the ground, picks up pin out of cone using the bucket teeth and insert pin in second cone 5 ft away then third cone; Participant must move bucket leaving pin in third cone and reset bucket to starting position. Challenge #1 Winner — Cody Pruett with a time of 72 seconds.
Challenge #2 — Using a 7 ton excavator, the Participant starts from the bucket on the ground, picks a 12" metal ring off of a Shepard's Hook using the bucket teeth and places it on a traffic cone without dropping then repeat the same skill on the second Shepard's Hook. Once completed, participant returns bucket to starting position. Challenge #2 Winner — Darrell (DJ) Blake with a time of 63 seconds.
Challenge #3 — Using a 7 ton excavator, the Participant starts from the bucket on the ground, using the bucket and thumb attachment pick up three stacked tires from one post (one at a time) and restack on a second post 10 feet away. Participant must reset bucket in starting position once completed. Challenge #3 Winner — Kenneth Thorton with a time of 86 seconds.
Challenge #4 — Using a 7 ton excavator, the Participant starts from the bucket on the ground, picks up ring and chain attached to a peg from on top of a tire with the bucket teeth and inserts the swinging peg into the stationary tube, participant must move the bucket from the ring without knocking the tube over and reset the bucket to starting position. Challenge #4 Winner — Darrell (DJ) Blake with a time of 35 seconds.
The overall winner with the best time for all four challenges was Kenneth Thorton with an overall time of 295 seconds.
Those competing were veteran operators, administrative staff, management and new Apprentices. However it was noted that each challenge winner were individuals in their third year of the Nassau County Equipment Operator Apprenticeship Program. This Program was created in 2021 in an effort to recruit and retain high caliber employees in a competitive job market. The program is designed to provide Road Department employees with a clear, defined career path upon beginning their employment, and to provide an avenue to increase their skillset through training. Seeing third-year apprentices win the Equipment Rodeo further demonstrates that the County's investment into equipment and training has been beneficial to the County.
In addition to the challenges, the operators also had the opportunity to check out Ring Power's utility equipment, air compressors, generators, lift trucks, and other products. The event was a great opportunity for operators to learn more about Ring Power's products and services, and to network with other operators in the area.
-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
On Thursday, December 12, 2024, Ring Power hosted the Nassau County Equipment Rodeo at the Road Department on Pea Farm Road. This event consists of individual challenges designed to test the operator's skills in a variety of areas including speed, accuracy, and precision. The operators competed on a variety of heavy equipment including small excavators, wheeled excavators, backhoe loaders, and small wheel loaders. Below is a summary of the challenges and the top competitor for each category:
Challenge #1 — Using a 7 ton excavator, the Participant starts from the bucket on the ground, picks up pin out of cone using the bucket teeth and insert pin in second cone 5 ft away then third cone; Participant must move bucket leaving pin in third cone and reset bucket to starting position. Challenge #1 Winner — Cody Pruett with a time of 72 seconds.
Challenge #2 — Using a 7 ton excavator, the Participant starts from the bucket on the ground, picks a 12" metal ring off of a Shepard's Hook using the bucket teeth and places it on a traffic cone without dropping then repeat the same skill on the second Shepard's Hook. Once completed, participant returns bucket to starting position. Challenge #2 Winner — Darrell (DJ) Blake with a time of 63 seconds.
Challenge #3 — Using a 7 ton excavator, the Participant starts from the bucket on the ground, using the bucket and thumb attachment pick up three stacked tires from one post (one at a time) and restack on a second post 10 feet away. Participant must reset bucket in starting position once completed. Challenge #3 Winner — Kenneth Thorton with a time of 86 seconds.
Challenge #4 — Using a 7 ton excavator, the Participant starts from the bucket on the ground, picks up ring and chain attached to a peg from on top of a tire with the bucket teeth and inserts the swinging peg into the stationary tube, participant must move the bucket from the ring without knocking the tube over and reset the bucket to starting position. Challenge #4 Winner — Darrell (DJ) Blake with a time of 35 seconds.
The overall winner with the best time for all four challenges was Kenneth Thorton with an overall time of 295 seconds.
Those competing were veteran operators, administrative staff, management and new Apprentices. However it was noted that each challenge winner were individuals in their third year of the Nassau County Equipment Operator Apprenticeship Program. This Program was created in 2021 in an effort to recruit and retain high caliber employees in a competitive job market. The program is designed to provide Road Department employees with a clear, defined career path upon beginning their employment, and to provide an avenue to increase their skillset through training. Seeing third-year apprentices win the Equipment Rodeo further demonstrates that the County's investment into equipment and training has been beneficial to the County.
In addition to the challenges, the operators also had the opportunity to check out Ring Power's utility equipment, air compressors, generators, lift trucks, and other products. The event was a great opportunity for operators to learn more about Ring Power's products and services, and to network with other operators in the area.
-Sabrina Robertson
Public Information Officer
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