Snowplow operators from across Nebraska recently put their skills to the test in the 2025 Snowplow Roadeo sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Transportation.
[Above photo by Nebraska DOT]
Hosted at the Nebraska Safety Center in Kearney, NE, the Snowplow Roadeo is an annual event that starts with local competitions in each of the Nebraska DOT’s eight districts. From there, the two top teams from each district competition advance to the statewide contest for the chance to move ahead and represent Nebraska at the national level.
“We are proud of all of our teams that participated in this year’s Snowplow Roadeo,” said Vicki Kramer, director of the Nebraska DOT, in a statement.
“Safety is always our top priority, and events like this give us the opportunity to showcase that,” she stressed. “Every winter, our crews work tirelessly to make sure the roads are safe and open to drivers traveling to work, school and home. Today, our teams showed just how seriously they take that, while also having a little fun. We’re excited to have our own talented teams representing Nebraska at the national level.”
The winners of this year’s Roadeo are Jim Paulsen and Justin Polk, from Chappell, NE, in District 5. The runners-up were Ryan Kozal and John Saxton from Gordon, NE; also located in District 5. Those two teams will now go on to represent Nebraska at the national competition, held in conjunction with the American Public Works Association’s Western Snow and Ice Conference September 24-26 in Loveland, CO.
The agency said its snowplow teams face a series of challenges mimicking various winter road maintenance situations during the annual Roadeo competition, noted Ben Merchant, a Nebraska DOT assistant division manager.
“There’s a lot that goes into knowing how to clear snow and how to attack a winter storm,” he explained. “Every winter storm is a little different. So they really have to learn how to have good judgement.”
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