Winners (from left): Ryan Mangold, Elliot Thompson, Miguel Sanchez Jr and Omar Morales

Dot Foods Inc awarded all-expenses-paid trips to Ryan Mangold, Elliot Thompson, Miguel Sanchez Jr and Omar Morales as winners in the company's 2013 forklift rodeo.

Forty entrants from across the US competed. Ten operators competed for honours in each of four materials handling equipment categories.

Organisers set course challenges with "limited space and limited clearance" and a requirement to avoid touching nearby pallets, says Greg Parrish, assistant warehouse manager in Vidalia, Georgia and the 2013 co-ordinator for Dot's forklift rodeo national championship. "We made a conscious effort to take speed out of the course. In the past, we had long straightaways."

Penalties were imposed for contacting course barriers, improper stops, incorrect horn usage and dropping a delicately balanced basketball.

Mangold of Rushville, Illinois won in the narrow-aisle category. Representing the Illinois dry-food warehouse, Mangold chose to operate a Crown although it was allowable in that category to use either a Crown or Raymond. Bobby Harris of the Illinois frozen-food warehouse was second, and Jon Baker of the Cambridge City, Indiana centre was third.

Thompson of Ardmore, Oklahoma won on a Yale in the forklift category. He represented Dot's Ardmore distribution centre. Noah Sheckler of the Illinois dry-food centre was second, and Jeremy Berrier of the Illinois cool warehouse was third.

Sanchez of Stockton, California won on a Crown in the pallet jack category. He represented the Modesto, California distribution centre. Zach Gould of Illinois cool was second, and Nick Blayney of the Ardmore centre was third.

Morales, also a resident of Rushville, won on a Yale in the order picker category. He represented the Illinois frozen-food warehouse. Michael Horney of Illinois dry was second, and Alejandro Quezada of the Modesto centre was third. "Omar Morales finished just milliseconds ahead of Horney," reports Richard Markey, Dot corporate writer.

The Illinois dry-food warehouse accumulated the best overall score during the 20 June rodeo in Mt Sterling and was declared the all-around distribution centre champion.

Mt Sterling-based Dot Foods sells and, with Dot Transportation, delivers 105,000 separate foodservice, convenience, retail and vending food products from 650 manufacturers to distributors in 50 US states.

In addition to the Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma and California sites, Dot has distribution centres in Williamsport, Maryland; Liverpool, New York; and Burley, Idaho.