Stratford man Jarod See crowned Taranaki’s smoothest digger operator

Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice Taranaki Regional Excavator Operator Competition winner Jarod See (centre) and second equals Shaun Curtis (left) and John Northcott.

When it comes to driving excavators, Stratford’s Jarod See is one of the best and he has the accolades to prove it.

See, who works for Taranaki civil construction company Graham Harris Ltd, claimed the top spot at the Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice Taranaki Regional Excavator Operator Competition, held at the Infrastructure Training Park in Bell Block on Saturday, November 16.

“I was in Auckland for Coldplay the night before so flew back first thing to take part in the competition. I’ve never done anything like this before but the moral support of my mates helped.”

See competed against eight other operators in the competition, who all used a 13-tonne digger to complete a range of challenges.

An excavator operator doing the painting challenge at the CCNZ CablePrice Taranaki Regional Excavator Operator Competition.

They included dunking a basketball through a manhole, painting a picture using a paintbrush mounted to the excavator boom and guiding an electrified hoop along a four-metre-long serpentine wire without touching it.

“I managed to get through that one without setting off any buzzers. I think there was only one other operator that got through it and didn’t beep.”

Other challenges included digging a trench precisely, based on a template provided beforehand, along with tests of theory, including health and safety awareness and knowledge.

The win guarantees See’s place at the national finals in Fielding next year, where he will cross excavator blades with 12 other champion operators from across New Zealand.

Competitors in front of the Taranaki Regional Excavator Operator Competition course at the Infrastructure Training Park in Bell Block.

Civil Contractors New Zealand Taranaki chair Joe Ingram said this year’s event was held in windy conditions but under blue skies, after rain the day before when volunteers were setting up the course.

“It went well thanks to all the helpers, supporters and sponsors. It was great to bring everyone together and the competition courses are right beside the main road so we certainly turned a few heads.”

Ingram said this year’s competition had featured a star-studded lineup complete with three former champions – John Northcott, Shaun Curtis and Callum Critchley – making See’s victory in his first attempt all the sweeter.

Northcott, who also works for Graham Harris Ltd, and Curtis, from I&D George, both finished second equal.