Anyone who knows how to dunk a basketball using an excavator’s bucket or pour a cup of tea using a special excavator attachment is clearly a certified Kiwi legend.
Wairoa man Thomas Perston will do all of this and more when he drives a 13-tonne excavator to represent
“It’s not just digging a hole,” the Quality Roading Services Wairoa stalwart tells Hawke’s Bay Today.
Perston will be one of 13 champions from around New Zealand who will rumble on to the competition course at Manfeild Park during the Central Districts Field Days.
Since taking the top spot in the Hawke’s Bay East Coast regional competition in October 2023, he has been making time for plenty of excavator-skills practice.
Earlier in the year, he and his colleagues were at the forefront of Cyclone Gabrielle’s recovery, excavating tons of silt from the flood-destroyed region.
“We did the big clean-up, and all. There was loads of silt and rubbish to clear; it wasn’t anything to celebrate. It was a big wake-up call.”
He said that his longstanding dedication to his work and plenty of support from within the company have fuelled his fire for excavating and championed his subsequent regional competition success.
“I think it was just through the nature of the job. I picked up a few skills along the way and was mentored throughout the years that I’ve been here, gathering all the knowledge I could grab off anyone.”
The technical side of things interested Perston the most, as was the fact that he was part of a wider industry that helped people.
“It’s just sinking my teeth and getting into it. That’s what I like.”
Civil Contractors New Zealand chief executive Alan Pollard said this year’s finals would feature some breathtaking new challenges that wouldn’t be revealed to competitors until they arrived in the arena on the event’s first day.
”The eye-catching tests of precision always bring the crowds but there’s a more serious side to the event as well, with plenty of traditional tasks such as trenching, operating around underground services, and tests of operators’ health and safety knowledge.”
He said the annual competition provided a chance to celebrate New Zealand’s excavator operators and inspire young people to consider careers in civil contracting.
An EPIC Careers Hub will be set up next to the excavator operator competition course for the duration of the Central Districts Field Days for members of the public interested in trying excavator operation or exploring careers in the industry.
It will feature a truck-mounted excavator simulator, a VR excavator experience, truck driving and traffic control experiences, a Connexis digital simulator, and floor talks from infrastructure construction workers.
”Whether it’s aging pipe networks or demand for new roads, the infrastructure challenges we are facing across New Zealand are becoming increasingly acute. We need more machine operators and many other roles across the industry, and this is a great way to shine a spotlight on the talent required and the opportunities available in civil construction,” Pollard said.
Perston said many of his family and friends in Wairoa were banding behind him for the finals.
“They’re ecstatic. A lot of people can’t wait to hear the results or come down to Feilding and see me.”
Given his impressive history, he’ll most certainly bring big dig energy to the competition.
“I can’t wait to go and represent Hawke’s Bay and East Coast at the nationals - the plan is to take out first place.”
Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.