Michael Gibson takes top prize in Prentice Loader Championship at Expo Richmond

The top finishers in the Prentice Loader Championship at the East Coast Sawmill and Logging Equipment Exposition, May 18-19 in Richmond, Va., were (first to third place, l to r) Michael Gibson, King and Queen Court House, Va.; Joah Hackman, Pink Hill, N.C.; and Bobby Snowdon, Shacklefords, Va.

Michael Gibson of King and Queen Court House, Va., won the Prentice Loader Championship at the East Coast Sawmill and Logging Equipment Exposition, May 18-19 in Richmond, Va.

The competition raised $1,200 for Log A Load For Kids through voluntary contestant contributions and the company’s match. In addition, the second place finisher, Joah Hackman of Pink Hill, N.C., donated his prize money of $150 to the cause. Log A Load is an organization sponsored by loggers and other forest products people to raise funds for hospitals associated with the Children’s Miracle Network.

Gibson operates a Cat 559 knuckleboom loader for his father’s company, Mike Gibson & Sons Logging. He ran the contest was four years ago when his time was good enough to get him into the top 10, but not the Trophy Run. This year his time in the initial run was 2 minutes, 28 seconds. His final time in the Trophy Run was 2 minutes 22.93 seconds.

Second place winner Hackman completed the Trophy Run in 2 minutes, 31:31 seconds. Bobby Snowdon finished third with a final time of 2 minutes, 35:31 seconds. First, second and third place winners received cash prizes, trophies and Prentice Loader Championship jackets. The fourth and fifth place winners also received jackets. Everyone who competed in the contest was given a Prentice cap.

Gregory Poole Equipment Company, headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., provided the Prentice 2384B knuckleboom loader for the contest.

First introduced at Expo Richmond in 1972, the Prentice Loader Championship is a contest in which operators demonstrate their skill with the loader by picking up and moving blocks between two checkerboards.

Top five winners

Prentice™ is a brand name owned by Caterpillar Forest Products, the leading manufacturer and worldwide marketer of timber harvesting, millyard, road-building and land management equipment. Products are also marketed under the Cat®, and CTR™ brand names and are sold through a global independent dealer network. The company operates plants in the Americas, Asia and Europe.

Caterpillar Forest Products is a division of Caterpillar Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines.

For more information visit www.cat.com for Cat and www.prenticeforestry.com for Prentice and CTR brands.