ADA COUNTY- Maintenance crew members from the Ada County Highway District made a strong showing at the American Public Works Association’s National Snow Equipment Roadeo in Loveland, Colorado last week.
ACHD won the top overall team score at the event and had three top-ten finishes.
During the Roadeo, team members were timed as they completed obstacle courses while operating skid steers, graders, loaders, and dump trucks. The obstacles for each course mirrored real-life situations that showcase the precision and accuracy required to operate the equipment.
Five ACHD team members qualified for the National Snow Equipment Roadeo by competing in ACHD’s Equipment Roadeo in April. Each competitor was required to have a recorded qualifying time in their respective events in order to compete at the National Snow Equipment Roadeo in Colorado.
In the grader event, Brian Rapp took 10th place out of 39 competitors.
In the skid steer event, Drew Birdwell placed 8th, and Renn McAffee placed 33rd. 59 people competed in the event.
Birdwell also placed 15th in the loader event out of 64 competitors.
In the single axle dump truck event, the team of Sean Anderson and Casey Brodin took 15th, while the team of Birdwell and McAffee took 16th out of 47 teams.
In the tandem axle dump truck event, Anderson and Brodin took 9th, and Birdwell and McAffee took 35th out of 53 teams.
"I am so very proud of each of our team members who competed. Our showing at the National Snow Equipment Roadeo highlights the exceptional talent among our crews," said ACHD Commission President Mary May. "As we prepare our equipment for winter, I am as confident as ever that our team is prepared to navigate any situation while maintaining Ada County roads."
Idaho was well-represented at the Roadeo, with the Idaho Transportation Department taking 2nd place in overall team scores.