Dick Higgins, president of the event’s organizer Higgins Group (HGI), says Springfield/Clark County Safety Council, Forkliftaction.com, KMH Systems/Yale Materials Handling Corp. and his own company have signed on as Gold Nugget sponsors.
Cascade Corp. is a Silver Spur sponsor, and Keytroller, EnerSys, Reiter Dairy and Sweet Manufacturing of Springfield are Tin Star supporters.
Sentry Protection Products, Orbis and Benchmark Industrial Supply Inc. have also signed on as sponsors of the 2009 lift truck rodeo.
Confirmed participants so far include DSW Shoes from Columbus, Ohio; Pepsi Cola (winner of the Chesapeake Region Forklift Rodeo); local firms Sweet Manufacturing and Kreider Corp; Kraft Foods Global, from Jacksonville, Fla.; and SafeMov/Invergo from Lisbon, Portugal.
The purpose of the rodeo, in addition to having fun in a competitive environment, is to promote safe and efficient operation of powered industrial trucks, according to Higgins.
To register for the event, fill out and mail a registration form.
