Mississippi Logger Wins Loader Championship Sponsored By Caterpillar Forest Products At Mid-South Show

A Mississippi logger won the Loader Championship sponsored by Caterpillar Forest Products at the Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show Sept. 21-22

Jon Dickerson of Louisville, Miss., won first place in the event, which was held at the 16th biennial trade show near Starkville, Mississippi. His winning time was 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

The contest raised $2,300 for Log A Load For Kids through voluntary contestant donations, Caterpillar’s matching contributions, and merchandise sales. Log A Load For Kids is an organization sponsored by loggers and others in the forest products industry to raise funds for hospitals associated with the Children’s Miracle Network.

Chris Davis of Franklin, Ala., won second place with a time of 2 minutes, 51 seconds, and Ryan Taylor of Duck Hill, Miss., won third place with a time of 3 minutes, 4 seconds.
Jonathan Cutshall of Iuka, Miss., won fourth place with a time of 3 minutes, 21 seconds.

First, second and third place winners received cash prizes and trophies. Top winners also received Loader Championship jackets monogrammed with their names. Everyone who competed in the contest -- 75 loggers participated -- received a cap with the contest logo.

The Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show is a collaborative effort involving Mississippi State University, the Mississippi Forestry Association, the Mississippi Loggers Association, and Hatton-Brown Publishers.

The Loader Championship sponsored by Caterpillar Forest Products was first introduced as the Prentice™ Loader Championship at the sawmill and logging show in Richmond in 1972. Contestants demonstrate their skill with a knuckleboom log loader by picking up and moving blocks between two checkerboards to determine who is the fastest.