Richland County Crews Show Off Skills at Annual Competition
On May 30, Richland County Public Works staff fired up their heavy machinery for the annual Midlands Backhoe Rodeo, a fast-paced competition that tests precision, patience, and pure backhoe mastery.
Held at Public Works headquarters in Columbia, the event featured a series of timed challenges — including crowd favorites like scooping up tiny objects with the backhoe’s bucket teeth and dropping them into small containers. It’s a test of skill that’s harder than it looks — and a lot more fun to watch.
Crews from across the Midlands battled not just each other, but the clock, as they showed off the steady hands and sharp eyes required to operate these powerful machines.
The rodeo wrapped up National Public Works Week, an annual celebration of the often-unsung heroes who keep our roads, water systems, and infrastructure running smoothly. The event is sponsored by the South Carolina chapter of the American Public Works Association and draws participation from counties and municipalities throughout the region.
