Dale Frey of Colorado-based Summit County Road & Bridge went home with first place in the national Motor Grader Roadeo competition for snow plow operators, held Sept. 25, at the Western Snow & Ice Conference in Estes Park, Colo.

“More than 50 operators got to strut their stuff, maneuvering equipment around the obstacle course,” said Kurt Pease, territory sales manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry Co., who partnered with local Deere dealer Honnen Equipment to provide the machines for the event. “Between his skilled operating and his fantastic effort on the written and diagnostic tests, Frey garnered the highest point total of every operator that competed.”

In addition to providing the equipment used in the Roadeo, John Deere and Honnen Equipment have sponsored the conference for more than 15 years. Other events at the conference include educational seminars and motivational speakers. Each year, the Snow and Ice Conference generates between 1,000 and 1,500 attendees, most of whom come from the central and western United States.

“This event is the highlight of the year for many snow plow operators — local municipalities often conduct their own obstacle course events throughout the year and will send the winner to the Snow & Ice Conference Roadeo,” Pease said.

The top-four finishers in the Motor Grader Roadeo were:

• First place- Dale Frey, Summit County Road & Bridge, Colorado
• Second place- Vic Schroeder, Summit County Road & Bridge, Colorado
• Third place- John Hoppe Pierce, County Public Works, Washington
• Fourth place- Spencer Esch, Town of Breckenridge, Colorado