North Carolina Logger Wins Loader Championship Sponsored by Cat® Forest Products at Richmond Expo

A North Carolina logger won the Loader Championship sponsored by Caterpillar Forest Products at the East Coast Logging and Equipment Exposition in Richmond, Virginia, May 18-19. Less than one second separated the top three winners at the biennial trade show, also known as the Richmond Expo.

The contest raised $2,056 for Log A Load For Kids through voluntary contestant donations, Caterpillar’s matching contributions, and merchandise sales. Log A Load For Kids is an organization sponsored by loggers and others in the forest products industry to raise funds for hospitals associated with the Children’s Miracle Network.

Roy Reinford of Pink Hill, N.C., won first place with a time of 2 minutes and 26.44 seconds. Michael Gibson of King & Queen, Virginia, won second place with a time of 2 minutes and 27.22 seconds, and Paul Weaver of Amelia, Virginia, won third place with a time of 2 minutes and 27.28 seconds.

Rounding out the top five were Ray Nelson of Oxford, N.C., who won fourth place, and Corey Elder of Cullen, Virginia, who won fifth place.

The top five winners received Loader Championship  jackets monogrammed with their names. In addition to the jackets, first, second and third place winners received cash prizes and trophies. Everyone who competed in the contest -- 87 loggers participated -- received a cap with the contest logo.

The Loader Championship sponsored by Caterpillar Forest Products was first introduced as the Prentice™ Loader Championship at the sawmill and logging show in Richmond in 1972. Contestants demonstrate their skill with a knuckleboom log loader by picking up and moving blocks between two checkerboards to determine who is the fastest.