Golden Loaders: Forestry machine operators to compete at Gisborne’s A&P Show this weekend

The inaugural Tairāwhiti Golden Loaders forestry skills competition will be held at the A&P Show's Forestry Hub on Saturday.

For the first time, the forestry skills competition Golden Loaders will be held at the Poverty Bay A&P Show on Saturday.

Contestants from Gisborne and from out of town will compete for the bragging rights of being the Tairāwhiti Golden Loader.

The contestants, all current forestry machine operators, will perform loader operations under time constraints to showcase their precision, skill and safety.

Organised by Eastland Wood Council, manager Allysha Ah-Nau said the fun and family-friendly competition would impress crowds with the skills on display.

“This is a chance for people at the top end of their field to showcase their expertise, and to celebrate the men and women who work hard and contribute every day to an important industry for our community.”

Judges will look for accuracy, technical skill and professionalism in a job that’s usually done away from the public eye.

“It’s not just about how fast a job is done, but how well the precision log stacking is done under pressure,” Ah-Nau said.

“Our industry employs thousands of highly skilled operators here in Tairāwhiti, and after seeing the Golden Loaders online organised in other regions, I knew the 150th A&P Show was an opportunity to give it a go.

“The industry has copped a fair amount of flak lately, and we want our community to see the everyday people who work in forestry and do their best every single day.”

The Tairāwhiti Golden Loaders will be held at the Forestry Hub, situated past the show rides.

The Forestry Hub is for anyone who wants to discuss forestry as a career, and will have representatives from Turanga Ararau, EIT, Matapuna Training Centre, WorkSafe, Ministry of Primary Industries Te Uru Rākau, Women in Forestry and Drive 35.

Ah-Nau said the Tairāwhiti Golden Loaders on Saturday would not happen without support from Kuru Contracting, A F Thompson and many other sponsors.