Jason Herschberger beat 35 competitors from across the US to win the competition sponsored by Pettibone.

A second generation telehandler operator from South Carolina won the third annual Telehandler Skills Competition at last month's World of Masonry/World of Concrete (WOC) show in Las Vegas.

Jason Herschberger from Herschberger Steel Erectors of Abbeville, South Carolina beat 35 competitors from across the US to win the competition sponsored for the first time by Pettibone. Herschberger had been operating telehandlers at his father's company for 10 years.

The competition tested the skill, accuracy and finesse of competitors operating a Pettibone Extendo Series 8044 or a Pettibone Traverse Series T8044.

Stage one of the competition saw the operators driving the telehandlers to a designated spot and picking up three planks from a sawhorse, then deposit one plank on each of three sawhorses.

The operator then had to pick the planks back up and return them to the original sawhorse.

In stage two, operators manoeuvred over to a second spot in front of a Hydek scaffolding system on which a 4'x4'x4' (1.2mx1.2mx1.2m) fork box rested 35 feet (10.7 metres) up. Operators had to simulate picking up an overhead load by raising the boom, then guiding the forks into matching slots on the box, triggering a light that indicated completion of the task.

Contestants had to manoeuvre the telehandler back to its starting place after finishing stage two.

Herschberger won a 2008 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob motorcycle valued at USD15,000. Runner-up Chris Yeghoian won a USD500 Visa gift card.

The competition was organised and judged by Pettibone staff including product manager Dan Blondeau, sales managers John Graham, Steve Kiskunas and Steve Talley, and service manager Dave Raasakka.

The telehandlers were provided by Pettibone dealer Inland/Hobbs Material Handling of Las Vegas and Pettibone customer Seedorf Masonry of Strawberry Point, Iowa.

Pettibone exhibited its Extendo and Traverse telehandler models at this year's WOC. Each of the telehandlers is now rated for lifting 1,000lbs (454kg) more than its predecessor.