Central Hawke’s Bay digger operator scoops Hawke’s Bay East Coast Awards

Tanya Claxton, CHB, winner of the Woman in Contracting and CCNZ CablePrice Hawke’s Bay East Coast Regional Excavator Operator Competition.

A Central Hawke’s Bay woman has been dubbed one of New Zealand’s best excavator operators after a double win at the Civil Contractors New Zealand Hawke’s Bay East Coast Awards.

Tanya Claxton won the Civil Contractors New Zealand Hawke’s Bay East Coast Woman in Contracting Award and the CCNZ CablePrice Hawke’s Bay East Coast Regional Excavator Operator Competition, which sends her to the national finals in Feilding next March.

Claxton, who works for Higgins, says not only is this the first time a woman will be competing at the national finals - but there will be three women.

“I believe two women from the South Island have also qualified, which I am delighted about as I really want to promote the message that as women we can do anything we choose to do.”

Claxton took to the stage to receive her awards wearing a dress she designed and made for the occasion.

“The fabric had diggers all over it.”

It was a nod to the career choice that propelled her into constriction 22 years ago.

“I am a qualified dressmaker. I did a four-year course in fashion design and I took a job wielding a stop-go sign for CHB Works, to raise money to study fashion overseas.”

Tanya Claxton, from Higgins, doing the basketball dunk at the CCNZ CablePrice Hawke’s Bay East Coast Regional Excavator Operator Competition.

Construction caught her imagination and she has now spent 22 years in the trade.

Initially, her experience in clothing design came in handy.

“Back then there were few women in construction. I didn’t know of any. There weren’t even women’s sized work clothes - I had to buy men’s hi-vis gear and alter it.

“I don’t see a whole lot of difference between construction and dressmaking ... they are both creative and you can start with almost nothing and create something out of it. It’s just that the tools I use now are bigger.”

While there were a few “old school” males who told her it was a man’s job and there were parts she couldn’t do - “That backfired on them because I just went and did them” - there were others who took her under their wing and taught her all they knew.

“I wouldn’t be here without them.”

Excavator operator - and dressmaker - Tanya Claxton’s haul of awards from the Civil Contractors New Zealand Hawke’s Bay East Coast Awards night.

She first competed in excavator competitions 18 years ago. “My operations manager put my name forward, he thought it would be good to inspire other women to get into the industry.

“I was so nervous I nearly made myself sick, which is silly because it’s what I do every day, but it was the thought of people watching me.”

Earlier this year Caxton was a finalist in the NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) Awards, for the second year running, but she says the CCNZ CablePrice Hawke’s Bay East Coast Regional Excavator Operator Competition was the one she really wanted to win.

“This one I really wanted, because I competed on a level playing field with the guys. But I was still shocked when I got it ... overwhelmed.

“I mainly go to the competitions to play the games, they are great fun. The rest is largely doing what we do every day; lifting, climbing, manoeuvring around stuff, except for picking up an egg or opening a beer bottle, they’re not really everyday tasks...

“But it’s great to challenge myself, I’m always learning, fine-tuning my skills. There are always different attachments for the diggers, different technology to learn.

“I love it, the variety, the challenges. I’ll stay on my machines as long as I can.

Tanya Claxton scooped the CCNZ CablePrice Hawke’s Bay East Coast Regional Excavator Operator Competition.

“It would be so nice to win at nationals, but just getting there is so good. There’s always someone better than you, but it’s about being the best on the day, and proving girls can - and do - do everything.”

Other winners on the night included SCL Civil Works, engaged by M W Lisette Ltd to reinstate access to the Gwavas Forest along the Tin Hut forestry road, west of Tikokino, following Cyclone Gabrielle. The judges commented that this project, which included construction of a culvert crossing over a waterway, stood out due to the “exceptional collaboration between the client, designer and contractor, leading to a quality product in a very hostile environment.”