Legendary excavator operator joins judging team for national finals

13 Feb 2025

Four-time Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice National Excavator Operator Competition champion Troy Calteaux is digging into a fresh challenge, leaving his seat in the excavator and crossing the fence to join the judging team at this year’s event in March.

Hailing from Milton, Calteaux has dominated the event like no other, becoming the first to claim four national titles, including three consecutive wins. His success has cemented his status as the greatest operator in the competition’s history, becoming a civil construction industry icon in the process.

He said the opportunity to support and test the new generation of excavator operators as a competition judge was a natural progression from his reign at the top of the game.

"The move into judging is pretty much just giving back to the industry that’s given so much to me."

He said he would miss the adrenaline buzz of facing tough challenges at the nationals, but it will be good to watch everyone else sweat for a change.

"The sheer bloody pushing yourself to the limits and fully cooking yourself is like nothing else – then there’s the nerves to face on top of that."

The Andrew Haulage 2011 Ltd employee's move to judging marks the end of an era for the national excavator operator competition.

He won the CCNZ CablePrice Otago Regional Excavator Operator Competition in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, and secured national titles in 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024. Over the past decade, he has consistently demonstrated his ability to handle pressure and maintain exceptional accuracy across the most challenging courses, which change each year to keep operators at the top of their game.

By moving to the other side of the competitive tracks at the nationals, Calteaux will be following in the footsteps of other multiple national winners. Steve Galbraith won in 2016 and 2017, and has developed the ‘one-day job’ challenge at the nationals in recent years, inaugural winner Ben Hodgson has been heavily involved in course design, and 2013 winner James Lux also sits on the judging panel.

Calteaux said he had always got on well with the judges at the national competitions and was looking forward to working with them, despite him still getting used to the idea of judging rather than competing.

“It hasn’t quite sunk in yet - I’ll probably go through a range of emotions once I get up to the nationals."

Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard praised Calteaux's decision to transition into judging.

"Troy has carved out an unmatched record and his shift into judging is an evolution that will enrich the future of the nationals. His experience and understanding of what it takes to excel under pressure will be invaluable in assessing and mentoring new talent.

"The nationals are a celebration of the people who build and maintain the infrastructure that keeps our country moving. Troy has been a shining example of what it means to be a true professional in this industry and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations."

As the sun sets on one chapter of Calteaux’s storied career, a new one begins. From operator to judge, he’s ready to dig deep once again to help others reach new heights.