It was part two of a three-part competition for Thompson Tractor in the Caterpillar 2019 Global Operator Challenge. The venue this time was the dealer's Montgomery, Ala., branch facility, where they hosted top operators from central/southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle for a two-day event on July 24 and 25. The top five operators from this competition go head-to-head in Montgomery on September 12 with the top five from the northern Alabama competition held earlier in July in Cullman, Ala.

The winner of the third and final round will be sent to the regional finals in Clayton, N.C., in October. The regionals will then send their winner to the next level to compete against operators from around the world at the Cat Global Finals at ConExpo in Las Vegas, Nev., in 2020.

A tremendous turnout of skilled operators came out to compete, with the overall five best selected from the top scores over the two-day period. Winners were: 1st place — Lee Curtis; 2nd place — Matt Arrington; 3rd place — Jonathan Womelsdorf; 4th place — Jamie Carter; and 5th place — Jason Hiebert. CEG

The Fully-Loaded competition utilizing a Cat 950M wheel loader with production measurement technology was extremely accurate in measuring to an exact target weight.  

(L-R): Thompson Tractor’s Derick Freeman goes over the rules of the Cat dozer event with Dylan Moseley and Colton Scott of Operating Engineers — Local 312, Bessemer, Ala.  

Chris Myrick (in cab) of IUOE Local 312, Bessemer, Ala., receives complete instruction on the Cat dozer challenge from Eugene Mealing Jr., Thompson Tractor’s Certified Cat dealer operator/task trainer.  

This fast-paced run at the Cat motorgrader challenge by Jamie Carter of Carter Construction, Lynn Haven, Fla., was one of day two’s best runs for this event.  

David Hicks (L) and his son Braxton Hicks of David Hicks Construction, Hayden, Ala., competed in the north Alabama challenge and then came to see the competition at this event and to check out some of the display machines including this Land Management Cat 299D2 XHP with 100M forestry mulching head.  

Clayton Walley (below left), Thompson Tractor certified dealer instructor, provides in depth instruction on the Cat 320 excavator challenge to a couple of registered challenge participants.  

(L-R): Mike Saenz of Thompson Tractor — Panama City, Fla.; Kevin Muncher of Thompson Tractor — Birmingham, Ala.; and Jamie Carter of Carter Construction, Lynn Haven, Fla., talk about the Cat 300.9D mini-excavator challenge.  

Lee Smith (R), apprenticeship coordinator of the International Union of Operating Engineers — Local 312 in the Birmingham, Ala., area, signs off on his timing on the Cat 320 excavator challenge with Scott Suttle of Thompson Tractor.  

Tyler Phelps of SITECH South, Birmingham, Ala., checks the accuracy of the grading work performed by a contestant in the challenge.  

Making “clean work” of stacking tires in the Cat 259D compact track loader challenge is Justin Pickle of Charles Pickle Septic Tank, Birmingham, Ala.  

Talking about the “fully loaded” wheel loader competition (L-R) are Stephen Caddis of Civil Worx, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Dan Law of Dan Law’s Concrete, Baker, Fla.; Steve Cato of Cato Land Clearing, Crestview, Fla.; and Tommy Walker of Thompson Tractor — Crestview, Fla.  

Enjoying some good conversation with customer-friends (L-R) are Rucker Brown of Thompson Tractor — Pensacola, Fla.; Ricky Butler and Matt Arrington of Arrington Curb & Excavation, Flomaton, Ala.; and Lucy Thompson Marsh of Thompson Tractor — Birmingham, Ala.  

A big crowd from W.S. Newell & Sons in Montgomery, Ala., made their way to the event to join their friends. (L-R): Emily Anne Newell of Thompson Tractor and her dad Keith Newell of W.S. Newell; Hardy Traylor and Skip Plumlee of Thompson Tractor; Mitchell Newell, Sam Newell and Justin Evers of W. S. Newell.  

These super-competitive challenges have been wildly popular and are taking on the characteristics of a good old-fashioned weekend tailgate party.  

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