GOLDSBORO, N.C. — The North Carolina Global TransPark Economic Development Region, in partnership with the Wayne County Development Alliance, welcomed forklift operators from Greene, Lenoir and Wayne counties to the 2026 Regional Forklift Rodeo on October 1 at Wayne Community College.
October is recognized as Manufacturing Month, a nationwide initiative highlighting the importance, innovation and career opportunities found in modern manufacturing. The Forklift Rodeo provided a fitting start to the month by recognizing the skilled professionals whose work supports manufacturers and industries throughout eastern North Carolina.
The annual event brought together competitors, coworkers, employers and community partners to celebrate the people who help keep the region’s industries moving every day.
This year’s competition began with a timed qualifying round. Each operator completed the full course, with any penalties added to the driving time. The final qualifying times were then used to seed the drivers fairly in one combined, single-elimination bracket. Once bracket competition began, operators raced head-to-head on two identical courses. The winner of each heat was determined by the lowest final time after penalties—not simply by which forklift crossed the finish line first.
The new format gave every operator at least two opportunities to run the course while creating fair matchups for the head-to-head competition. The course challenged drivers to demonstrate the qualities that matter most on the job: safety, precision, control and efficiency.
Competitors began by picking up and carefully positioning a pallet on elevated bucket supports. They then transported a custom 10-foot board holding seven tennis balls through a sharp U-turn. Drivers had to maintain control of the board, keep the tennis balls in place and return the board safely to its designated station.
The final portion of the course required each operator to retrieve a pallet carrying a basketball, maneuver to the goal, make the shot and complete a precision finish with the pallet properly positioned on the finish line.
Dropped tennis balls, displaced cones and placement errors added penalty seconds to a driver’s final time. The result was a spirited competition that showcased serious technical ability while providing plenty of fun for competitors and spectators.
2026 Regional Forklift Rodeo Winners
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Regional Grand Champion: Trey Price — Southern Vinyl Manufacturing
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Regional Runner-Up: Cole Sequira — Worth Products
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Third Place: Montel Stallings — Mt Olive Pickle Company
County honors were also presented based on each driver’s advancement through the bracket:
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Wayne County Champion: Montel Stallings — Mt Olive Pickle Company
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Greene/Lenoir County Champion: Trey Price — Southern Vinyl Manufacturing
Congratulations to this year’s champions and every operator who competed. The skill demonstrated on the course was impressive, but equally memorable was the support from the coworkers and employers who came out to cheer on their teams.
That enthusiasm represents something larger than a competition. It demonstrates the strength, pride and teamwork of the workforce that powers manufacturing and industry across Greene, Lenoir and Wayne counties.
The North Carolina Global TransPark Economic Development Region and Wayne County Development Alliance organized the event with the generous support and partnership of WestLift LLC, Wayne Community College, Duke Energy, Wayne County Manufacturing Association, Lenoir County Manufacturers Association and Greene County Manufacturers Association.
Special thanks also go to the judges, volunteers, organizers and community partners who dedicated their time to planning, setting up and operating this year’s event.
The Regional Forklift Rodeo is more than a competition. It is an opportunity to recognize the skilled professionals behind the area’s manufacturing and industrial success and to celebrate the employers, partners and communities working together to strengthen eastern North Carolina’s workforce.
Congratulations to all our 2026 competitors and champions!
