'I won it for the girls': Excavator operator digs in to claim victory over the men

By Isabella Adams

“I won it for the girls.” That was the reaction from Georgia Lyford after she beat 25 other digger operators in an excavator operator competition.

Lyford, who works at Schick Civil Construction Ltd in Middleton, Christchurch, was the only female competitor at the Canterbury/Westland regional excavator operator competition.

She won the experienced category and will move on to the national finals in Feilding in March.

Georgia Lyford was the only female competitor at the Canterbury/Westland regional excavator...

It was Lyford’s third tilt at the competition. She wanted to redeem herself after she was not satisfied with her performance at last year’s event.

“I’m only 23 so it will be cool to go to the finals in Feilding and prove to other young girls considering a career in civil construction that we can do it too,” she said.

The competition at the Road Metals Quarry in Rolleston on October 6 included a range of challenges to test operators’ precision from slam dunking a basketball using an excavator bucket to deftly pouring a cup of tea with a special attachment on the end of the excavator's arm.

More conventional skill tests were involved, such as truck loading and traversing obstacles, as well as theory-based challenges, requiring operators to demonstrate health and safety knowledge and awareness of underground services and hazards.

Organiser James Flower said the event was a success.

Photo: Civil Contractors New Zealand

“The weather was perfect, and the enthusiastic support from friends, family, and the public contributed to a lively atmosphere throughout the day.

“One of the standout challenges was the ‘egg and spoon’ event, where competitors had to delicately pick up an egg from a sandpile with a spoon attached to their excavator and place it into a small cup.

“There were certainly moments that left the audience in stitches, as a few competitors ended up with their eggs scrambled.”

Flower said there is a shortage of excavator operators nationally and the event aims to both celebrate the existing operators and inspire others to consider joining the industry.