Most excavator operators would look at you sideways if you asked them to slice up a pizza, play a super-sized board game, and pour a cup of tea using their digger.
But that’s not the case for Whangarei’s Steven George, who flawlessly performed those three tasks, and many more, on his way to a second straight victory at the Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition last weekend.
The Steven George Contracting owner-operator won the competition in 2025 and he wove his heavy metal magic again this year to outclass 11 other regional champions at this year’s national final, held at Central Districts Field Days in Feilding.
He narrowly held off runner-up Marcus Ingram from Napier to clinch the victory, while third place finisher Ryan Prankerd, from Taranaki, mounted the podium in third place.
George said it was “bloody good” to win, especially when considering the number of new competitors and challenges out on the competition course this year.
“I came into this weekend not knowing what to expect. There were a bunch of new faces, as well as guys who have done it a few times before,” he said.
This year’s event marked the competition’s 32nd anniversary. It showcased outrageous fine motor skills as the country’s premier operators made their diggers dance to skilfully slam-dunk basketballs, paint pictures, and serve ice cream to the crowd.
More conventional skills were also thoroughly tested, including bulk trenching, digging carefully around underground services, truck loading, and health and safety knowledge.
Marton operator Dean Cave took out coveted top spot in the Connexis One-day Job Challenge, which tested operators on their ability to plan and execute a complex task from start to finish, after impressing the panel of judges with his meticulous approach.
The Humes MVP award was presented to Ryan for his sterling display of spirit and camaraderie throughout the event when interacting with his fellow contestants, as well as the general public and judges and supporters at the event.
Another coveted award presented during the competition was The Geoff Duff Memorial Trophy, which recognises the person achieving the best scores across the truck-loading challenges. The trophy, which commemorates a former national excavator operator competition judge, was awarded to Golden Bay operator Daniel Bruning of Takaka.
Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard said this year’s competition carried extra significance considering the essential work excavator operators had played in disaster-response efforts across the Upper North Island in January.
“The competitors at this year’s event represent the very best of an industry that is more important to New Zealand than ever,” he said.
“These people are role models, who not only highlight the expertise and professionalism in our industry, but also inspire others to take up the tools and join the pool of talent required to build the infrastructure that will support the future of New Zealand.”
