Cat North American regional champions are set

The crowning of the Cat Global Operator Challenge (GOC) champion is one step closer. North America’s eastern and western regional champions have been determined.

From a field of 35 dealer-event winners from across North America John Schiedeck of Schiedeck Construction and Matt Ferris of Kinkaid Civil Construction emerged victorious to earn spots in the championship at ConExpo in Las Vegas this March.

Held on Caterpillar grounds in Clayton, N.C., operators from Canada, the U.S.and Puerto Rico competed in eastern and western regional semi-finals. All competitors completed the same three events using Cat equipment and technology.

“Our challenge team went to great lengths to ensure a level playing field for all participants, so no one had an advantage,” said Matt Smith, global marketing manager for Caterpillar. “They even tarped the large excavator challenge area so the rain we had the night before the eastern semi-finals to ensure that didn’t affect any section of that challenge event.”

One event had operators use a Cat 315 excavator with Cat Grade with 2D technology to dig a 20-foot trench with depth changes and pipes to avoid.

“I like the excavator,” commented Ryan Totton of Gulf Operators in New Brunswick, representing Toromont Cat. “You can do almost anything with it.”

The regional GOC semi-finals were a culmination of months of competitions held worldwide at the dealer level.

“We experienced amazing participation in this year’s challenge,” said Jessica Nunley, global marketing manager for Caterpillar. “From more than 10,000 registrants, 3,500 machine operators competed in the first round at the dealer level, and only 84 of the best operators in the world made it to the regional semi-finals.”

In addition to the overall winners advancing to the finals, the following participants were recognized by Caterpillar with awards.

Eastern Region

Second place – Ryan Totton, Gulf Operators/Toromont Cat

Third place – Robert Donnellan, CAC Industries Inc./HO Penn

Trench Run winner – John Schiedeck, Schiedeck Construction/Holt Cat

Locked and Loaded winner – Tom Gardocki (Dirt Ninja), New Era Excavation LLC/Milton Cat

Backhoe Bonanza winner – John

Schiedeck, Schiedeck Construction/Holt Cat

Western Region

Second place – Steve Newman, Newman Equipment Rentals/Quinn Company

Third place – David Gruhot, D&G Excavating/Ziegler Cat

Trench Run winner – Ben Dunbar, Windley Contracting LTD./Finning Canada

Locked and Loaded winner – Daniel Ludtke, Elite Dirtwerz/Holt of California

Backhoe Bonanza winner – Steve Newman, Newman Equipment Rentals/ Quinn Company