After several years of coming runner up at a New Zealand excavator operator competition, 2025 winner Steven George highlights how the event put his skills to the test
While we all know the various capabilities of excavators for onsite job purposes, what’s less common knowledge is their ability to be used for recreational activities. This was showcased at the annual Civil Contractors New Zealand National Excavator Operator Competition, where 12 operators went head-to-head in a series of unique challenges from inside their machine’s cabin, including painting and traditional board games.
Held in mid-March, at the Central District Field Days in Fielding, the competition has been ongoing since 1994 and is renowned for these wacky challenges, which are designed to put operators’ skills to the test.
This year, Whangarei owner-operator Steven George took out the title in a triumph that has been many years in the making.
His success in the 2025 national competition follows previous attempts in 2024 and 2023, where he finished third and second respectively, as well as having many tries at the regional equivalent.
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George says it was a ‘bloody good feeling’ to finally be crowned New Zealand’s top excavator operator.
“Having finished second and third previously, it wasn’t bad, but it’s not the same feeling as first,” he says.
“I wasn’t too confident, I enjoyed watching all the other competitors.
“Everybody’s pretty skilled and I don’t usually get nervous, but there was a bit of that in the competition.”
The 2025 National Excavator Operator Competition saw operators compete in a range of tricky challenges with an excavator, including the ‘over the wire’ task, where they had to construct ramps of earth to navigate over a wire, as well as the ‘Connect Challenge’, which is a jumbo recreation of the classic Connect Four game.
Some of the more traditional tasks of the competition’s excavator course saw competitors painting, scooping ice cream and popping a champagne cork.
“The challenges in the competition are really enjoyable,” George says.
“For me, it’s about testing myself and proving to myself that I can do it.
“The only way to learn is to put yourself in uncomfortable positions or put yourself under pressure and grow from it.”
Building the skillset
Operating excavators wasn’t what George had originally planned for his work life, so it’s even more impressive to see how accomplished he’s become behind the controls of the diggers he steps into.
The skills that he has gained has come gradually over 25 years, all starting with an old 10-tonne Komatsu on his father’s farm.
“I learnt all the basic controls on that for a few years,” he says.
After school life, George moved to Melbourne to work for a demolition company. With an excavator and a skid steer loader, it was the first time he got to operate the machinery in a professional environment.
From there on, George has had the opportunity to operate excavators at every job he’s had – even as the owner of his own business.
“I’ve always liked the idea of self-employment and the thought of working myself,” he says.
“I got to the point where I decided I’d buy my own excavator and work for myself.”
This was the catalyst for the birth of his own earthmoving contracting business in 2015 – Steven George Contracting.
Title defence
As an owner-operator, George says it can be hectic but he enjoys the flexibility of running his own business.
“It’s very busy – you’ve got to look for jobs, price jobs as well as getting paperwork done,” he says.
“If the machine’s not working, you’re not making any money.
“There’s definitely more hours involved, but at the same time its pretty good to be able to take half the day off here and there to do whatever you would like.”
Although most of his time is taken up by the business, George always makes time for the CCNZ excavator operator competitions – having competed around eight times at the regional finals, three at the national level, and plans to be back next year.
Traditionally, the winner of the competition would be automatically entered into the next national final, but now with a slight rule change, George will have to start his title defence from the ground up at the regional level, winning his regional event to qualify again for the national competition.
When asked how he orginally got involved in the competitions and why he’s so passionate about them, George said it comes down to his competitive nature.
“If there’s something I can do where I can compete – whether it’s in the civil industry or involving sports – I generally find myself doing it,” he says.
“That’s why I decided to get involved, but it’s also a good way of keeping in contact with other people within the industry and learning from others.”
