From left: Francisco Barron, Phillip Rose and Chris Henderson

Twenty-six operators from 15 companies and a municipality competed in the first Gregg County regional forklift rodeo in Longview.

Phillip Rose won first place with a total time of 3 minutes 25.39 seconds for his runs through two difference courses. The Made-Rite Co of Longview, a regional beverage distributor, is Rose's employer.

Second place went to Chris Henderson at 3 minutes 26.14 seconds. He works in the Kilgore, Texas distribution centre of Orgill Inc.

Francisco Barron took third place in 3 minutes 29.58 seconds. Bronze foundry and precision machining shop O&D Manufacturing Inc in White Oak, Texas is Barron's employer.

One course involved weaving in and out of cones forward and then backward around a circle. The other course required operators to carry a load of wooden pallets while driving backward in and out of cones.

The economic development offices of Longview, Kilgore and White Oak organised the 2013 forklift rodeo with help from the non-profit Safety Council of East Texas in Longview and the Longview facility of forklift dealership Equipment Inc.

"We provided two Nissan forklifts" for the competition, says Equipment Inc's Jason Dutton. The electric models were a BX50 and a BX30. Commercial Battery Service of Tyler, Texas supplied an EnerSys 36-volt battery for each forklift.

In addition to Nissan forklifts, Equipment Inc represents the Barrett, Bobcat, JLG, SkyTrak, Big Joe and Lull brands and has facilities in Longview and Texarkana, Texas; Jackson, Hattiesburg and Tupelo, Mississippi; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Mobile, Alabama. Prior to 1 January, the locations in Longview, Texarkana and Shreveport operated as Arklatex Forklift.

The forklift rodeo took place at the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex in Longview.