Queensland’s Shane Poole will kick off the dozer challenge of the 2026 Cat® Global Operator Challenge Final, which starts on March 3 at CONEXPO 2026, being held in Las Vegas.
The randomly-drawn positions in which the nine finalists would participate in each event were announced at a pre-final function held tonight.
The competition consists of three rounds in which challengers show off their mettle with different types of machinery: loaders (named ACE of Loaders); excavators (named Street Gambler); and dozers (named Centennial Push).
Australian qualifiers Shane and Tim Lamb from NSW will pit their skills against formidable opponents from the USA, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, and Japan.
Shane will start third in the excavator challenge, his greatest strength, and second last in the loader round.
Tim starts second in the loader task, sixth in the excavator event, and will be the last contestant to demonstrate his prowess with dozers.
All finalists were not allowed to practice for the challenges, which are different to the ones ran in the qualifying heats.
Shane said he was “feeling good” in the lead-up to the event, while Tim was also quietly confident as he prepared for a good night’s sleep.
Earthmoving Equipment Magazine will be on-site to bring you regular updates.
CONEXPO is the largest construction event in North America, and the Cat Global Operator Challenge is widely known as the ultimate test of operating skill, putting elite competitors through high-pressure tasks designed to challenge machine control, efficiency and safety.
GOC challengers gear up for final