2013 Case Rodeo Final

Sebastien Pirlet, from Belgium, has emerged victorious from the final of the 2013 Case Rodeo operator competition. An incredible group of skilled operators from 13 countries took part in the European Final, having already won their respective country competitions. This included the competitions first female Swedish operator, Lise Lott Jansson, who proved particularly popular with the audience due to her precise skills.
All of the competitors attending the event, which was held at the Case Customer Centre at Monthyon near Paris on the week-end of the 18th of October, were put through four tests of ultimate machine control and precision operating. These included "Bullseye", using a CX210C with a hydraulic grab to pick up geometric figures and carefully place them in designated supports. This challenge was won by Peter Bart Poppink from the Netherlands.
The second challenge was "Crazy Horse", with operators piloting a TV380 skid steer. The challenge included picking up a ball with the machine and transporting it through a slalom course without dropping the ball, before scoring a goal by throwing the ball from the skid steer. This challenge went to Sunins Artis, an operator from Latvia.
The "Wheeled Loader Lasso" required the operators to drive a 621F XR wheeled loader, picking up coloured poles and delivering them to colour-coded delivery points. Top points this time went to Peter Bart Poppink once more.
Finally the competitors had to undertake the "Buffalo Basket Ball" challenge, using a CX55B mini excavator to take balls from their starting base and score baskets using the movement of the boom and dipper. This challenge was won by eventual overall winner Sebastien Pirlet, with the "Best Team" prize also being awarded to Belgium.
Sebastien will hold the cup and the title until next years competition and will automatically attend the 2014 competition in Europe. He has also won two tickets to the International Rodeo Final that will be held in Brazil in December.
There was a fun element during the competition, as the participants tried to stay on the incredible "Mechanical Bull", with Dutch operator Tom Luising able to hold on for the longest.
There was far more to the 2013 European Rodeo Final than the driving competition, with all contestants and their supporters enjoying a festive atmosphere.
Both the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner took place on the last night of their stay. The Awards were presented by Serena Bisacca, Case communications director EMEA and by Enrica Oderda, Case marketing director EMEA in a festive environment.
"It was a fantastic event throughout and a pleasure to host this fourth European Rodeo Final," says Patricia Legros, manager of the Case Customer Centre Paris.
"To have so many operators from such a wide variety of countries joining us here and at the hotels was a real privilege for everyone involved. This was the fourth Case Rodeo in Europe and the skills on show clearly demonstrate the level of expertise that our European operators have, and the ease with which they can feel comfortable in the latest range of Case machinery. We look forward to the next competition in 2014."