Estill County team claims top spot in District 10 Roadeo championship
Magoffin County’s Stetson Allen wins individual championship
JACKSON, Ky. – For the first time since 2013, the crew from the Estill County state highway garage won the championship of the Department of Highways District 10’s annual Equipment Operators Safety Training Conference and Roadeo. It was the third title for the crew from Ravenna and Irvine in the event that has been held annually in District 10 since 2006, with the exception of a two-year hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns.
Magoffin County's Stetson Allen was the overall individual champion, compiling the best total score from all seven events that make up the competition.
This year's Roadeo was held May 14-15 at the Beattyville Equipment Garage and Lee County Maintenance facility. Overcast skies gave way to partly sunny conditions both days. Rain was in the forecast, but the precipitation avoided the area during the two-day competition.
The annual Roadeo brings equipment operators from the district’s maintenance garages together for a day of friendly competition and fellowship. The event allows equipment operators from the district’s crews to show their skills in operating the equipment they use to maintain state highways in the district. The obstacle courses simulate actual situations equipment operators may encounter in the performance of their duties. The event is officially known as the Equipment Operators Safety Training Conference, and participants received training in fire extinguisher safety during the event..
Individual event winners were:
- Backhoe: Chad Conway, Menifee County first place; Scott Prater, Morgan County, second place.
- Snowplow obstacle course (single-axle truck): Derrik Young, Morgan County, first place; Justin Bailey, Menifee County, second place.
- Snowplow obstacle course (double-axle tandem truck): Matt Kirby, Estill County, first place; Ben Montgomery, Morgan County, second place.
- Tractor with mower: Matt Kirby, Estill County, first place; Stetson Allen, Magoffin County, second place.
- Grader: Stetson Allen, Magoffin County, first place; Jimmy Kelley, Estill County, second place.
- Lowboy tractor-trailer: Ben Montgomery, Morgan County, first place; Matt Kirby, Estill County, second place.
- Skid-steer: Mitch Tyra. Beattyville Equipment, first place; Stetson Allen, Magoffin County, second place.
The individual contest winners and runners-up will advance to a statewide competition against participants from the other 11 highway districts across Kentucky, to be held at the Kentucky Horse Park June 24-25. State winners will be eligible to participate in the annual Southeastern Regional Equipment Operators Safety Training Conference competition, to also be held at the Kentucky Horse Park, in September.
“Our employees at the equipment garage and elsewhere in the district work hard to make our Roadeo a success every year,” said Corbett Caudill, chief district engineer. “The event has expanded from one to two days, and from four to seven events, since District 10 held our first competition nearly 20 years ago. We really appreciate everyone's efforts to put on this event.
"Our county maintenance crew members have to work in all sorts of weather conditions and often at all hours," Caudill continued. "The last couple of years have been challenging. We've had to deal with winter storms and flooding rains and all the problems the weather causes. Our personnel do an excellent job maintaining our state highways and reacting to emergency situations caused by the weather or other issues. Operating the equipment used to maintain our highways year-round, and to keep them clear of snow and ice in the winter, takes a lot of skill and knowledge. The Roadeo gives our employees a chance to show off their abilities. It also lets them know that even though they work in different counties, they are all part of one team and that we appreciate all of them for their effort and hard work."
District 10 encompasses the counties of Breathitt, Estill, Lee, Magoffin, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Powell and Wolfe in east-central and southeastern Kentucky.
(Note to editors: Photos of individual first- and second-place event winners, where available, can be obtained by contacting H.B. Elkins, District 10 public information officer, at hb.elkins@ky.gov.)
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 Estill County state highway maintenance crew, 2025 District 10 Roadeo overall crew champions
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