Tyler, Texas — On Saturday, the East Texas State Fairgrounds became the site of a hands-on training event for the city’s public works staff. The inaugural equipment rodeo brought together a handful of equipment vendors and roughly 125 municipal workers from Tyler and surrounding communities to test, learn, and compete with the latest tools used in street, storm‑drain, and recreation maintenance.
Vendors demonstrate safety and new product lines
According to BJ Kersh, operations manager at Lowe Tractor and Equipment, the goal was to let city employees “run the equipment, get used to new product lines, and go over safety items with them.” Vendors set up stations where participants could operate utility combo trucks, excavation machines, street sweepers and mowing equipment. Each station featured a timed, rodeo‑style obstacle course designed to simulate real‑world tasks such as maneuvering logs or positioning a boom arm.
Competition adds a fun, practical twist
Workers competed individually for first, second and third place trophies, while teams of three to six entered a group division. The winning team earned a grand‑prize trophy and $600 in gift‑card vouchers to a local steakhouse. Additional door prizes were donated by nearby businesses, reinforcing the community‑focused spirit of the event.
Regional interest and future plans
Dane Clarke, regional sales manager for Kinloch Equipment, noted that similar equipment fairs are usually held in larger metros such as Dallas‑Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. After presenting the concept to Tyler’s fleet services department, five vendors agreed to host the rodeo and provide refreshments for the municipal staff. “We have cities in attendance here from as far as an hour and a half away,” Clarke said, adding that the event is strictly for municipal employees and their administration.
Attendees traveled from nearby communities including Longview, Marshall, Belton, Copperas Cove and Waco, underscoring the regional draw of the new program.
Equipment on display
The showcase featured a range of machinery from well‑known brands such as Kinloch Equipment Group, Kubota, Holt‑Cat, John Deere, Case, Bobcat and ASCO. Demonstrations highlighted utility combo trucks used for water and sewer maintenance, excavation equipment, street‑repair tools and mowing machines.
Looking ahead
Organizers began planning the rodeo in April and hope to make it an annual regional event. By combining practical training with friendly competition, the rodeo aims to improve safety awareness, familiarize workers with emerging technology, and strengthen ties between vendors and the municipal workforce.
The city’s fleet services department sees the rodeo as a valuable addition to its ongoing professional‑development efforts, ensuring that Tyler’s public‑works teams remain proficient with the equipment that keeps the city’s streets, parks and drainage systems running smoothly.
Original reporting: KLTV 7 Tyler (news) — read the source article.
