21st Annual HWR Driving Competition
On Saturday, 30 August, the HWR Driver Training team hosted the 21st Annual Driving Skills Competition at the Freight Haulage yard in Invercargill. There were 16 competitors in the field for the Rigid division and 32 competitors representing the Class 5 division. It was great to see the diversity of our people represented, including two drivers who travelled from across the ditch representing Pacific Fuel Solutions.
The Bill Richardson Memorial Driver Skills Award was up for grabs for the Class 5 division drivers, while the Harold Richardson Memorial Award was presented to the top Concrete driver. There were also two Rookie Awards presented on the day. This year, the Wayne “Ox” McEwan Memorial Driver Skills Award was kindly donated by the McEwan family as the top prize in the Rigid events.
Congratulations to Kurt Smith (Upper Clutha Transport), winner of the Bill Richardson Memorial Driver Skills Award, and Richard Abernethy (Allied Concrete Dunedin), winner of the Wayne “Ox” McEwan Memorial Driver Skills Award. The Brent Mackenzie Memorial Award for Transport Rookie was awarded to Taylor McGregor (Dynes), and the HWR Concrete Rookie Award went to Nelson Tagal (Allied Conrete Wanaka). Susannah Scrimgour (Allied Concrete Blenheim) was presented with the Harold Richardson Memorial Driver Skills Award.
A big thank you goes out to our generous sponsors who donated section prizes, including vouchers, jackets, bags, and other items from our franchise dealers and suppliers. A special mention to TruckStops for their generous prize contributions and for joining us at the event and prizegiving. The overall winners of both the Rigid and Class 5 divisions each received $5,000 travel vouchers, proudly sponsored by the H W Richardson Group.
This event would not be possible without the incredible support of those working behind the scenes, from planning and preparation through to running the event on the day. Thank you to Freight Haulage for providing the venue, to the companies that supplied vehicles, to the judges and support teams, and to those who provided food and coffee throughout the day. Everyone involved, from supporters to competitors, plays a vital role in making this annual event such a success year after year. We are already looking forward to making the 2026 competition even more challenging and rewarding. We encourage all staff members reading this edition to enter, come to Invercargill, and experience firsthand what being part of the HWR Group is all about.
