Roll out the barrels: “roadeo” results
Snow plow roadeo winners from left to right: Del McDaniel, Jeff Anderson, Richard Speidel, Jeff West, Bill Bauer, and Kevin Decker
Motor grader roadeo winners from left to right: Matt Dolan, Chris Archer, and Gary Rank
A snow plow maneuvers through cones as if they are parked cars.
It was a battle of the blades on October 14, 2004, when snow plow and motor grader operators from across the state competed in the Plow/Grader Roadeo in the Hilton Coliseum parking lot in Ames.
The Roadeo was a featured event of the Iowa Streets and Roads Conference (formerly the Iowa Maintenance Expo).
Snow plow competition
Twenty-six driver teams competed in the Snow Plow Roadeo, maneuvering their vehicles up to 15 minutes through 12 separate sections that replicate normal street and road obstacles.
For example, a driver must knock over blocks (4 inches by 4 inches by 12 inches) without hitting traffic cones set 12 inches to the right of the blocks.
Winners were
- Jeff West and Richard Speidel, City of Bettendorf, with 602.5 points.
- Del McDaniel and Jeff Anderson, City of West Des Moines, with 601.75 points.
- Kevin Decker and Bill Bauer, City of Des Moines, with 586.75 points.
Motor grader competition
Twenty motor graders operators competed separately, for no more than six minutes per course.
They performed ball-in-chute maneuvers, in which the operator picks up a large ball with the toe of the moldboard and carries it a short distance, then uses the heel on the opposite side of the motor grader to place the ball in a chute. This is similar to picking up snow on a blade, carrying it, and depositing it.
The drivers also competed in bull grading, which requires them to knock blocks off stands of differing heights while keeping the stands upright.
Winners were
- Gary Rank, City of West Des Moines, with 418 points.
- Chris Archer, Pocahontas County, with 375 points.
- Matt Dolan, City of West Des Moines, with 367 points.
All winners received trophies.
