Foley brought public works professionals from across the Alabama Gulf Coast together Friday, Sept. 25, for the inaugural Gulf Coast Heavy Equipment Roadeo at OWA Parks & Resort.
The city-produced event showcased the skills of the workers who operate heavy equipment and help maintain critical public infrastructure throughout the region.
Organized by the City of Foley, the competition featured 14 teams representing municipalities, counties and utility agencies from across the Alabama Gulf Coast. Operators competed in a series of challenges using bulldozers, excavators, skid steers and other heavy equipment.
Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the event provided workers with an opportunity to demonstrate the skills they use every day while giving residents and public officials a chance to recognize the people who maintain streets, collect garbage and repair infrastructure.
“This features our municipal, county and utilities workers, all of the people who work out there every day among our citizens,” Hellmich said. “This is a way of featuring their talents and skills and for us to show our appreciation for what they do and for the public to come out and see what they can do.”
Hellmich and other public officials also got a firsthand look at the skill required to operate the equipment when they competed in a garbage truck challenge. Participants had to maneuver the truck into position beside two garbage cans, use the vehicle’s automated arm to empty the containers and then back the truck into a designated area.
Hellmich said the experience gave him an even greater appreciation for the work public works employees perform each day.
Other competitions featured mini-excavators, bulldozers, excavators and skid steers, with individual and team awards presented in each category.
Austin Parker, representing Foley, won the Brothers Machinery Mini-Excavator competition after using the machine’s bucket to maneuver a bowling ball through a series of orange traffic cones in less than 30 seconds. Foley also won the team competition in the mini-excavator category.
Parker said the Roadeo gave operators an opportunity to showcase their skills while also building connections with employees from other agencies.
“This is our bread and butter, doing this,” Parker said. “We love doing this and coming out here seeing all the folks from other municipalities. It’s a chance to meet people and spend some time with them and for everyone to have a good time.”
In the Parish Tractor Skid Steer competition, Zach Whitehead of Robertsdale won the individual title, while Robertsdale also took the team award.
The Baldwin County Highway Department won the team title in the Thompson Tractor Bulldozer competition, with Dillon Smith of the department earning the individual award.
Ryan Fralik won the individual title in the TEC Equipment Trackhoe competition, while Robertsdale claimed the team award.
Robertsdale was named the overall grand champion of the inaugural event.
Mike Chavers, Foley Street Department supervisor, said the Roadeo was made possible through the combined efforts of city departments, OWA and the participating organizations.
“Everyone helped make this a major success, the mayor and council, city administration, departments and OWA,” Chavers said. “It was a great day and a great event.”
The event also included live music by Chitlin Switch and food sales, with proceeds from lunch benefiting Youth-Reach Gulf Coast.