The HDD Rodeo Is Back and Better Than Ever!
Saddle up and start your drill rigs!
For the first time in more than 20 years, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) will crown a new champion at the HDD Rodeo. The 2024 HDD Rodeo is set to take place Sept. 25-27 in Independence, Missouri, bringing together all sides of the HDD community together for an incredible week of education, networking, exhibits and, of course, intense drilling competition!
And the winning drill crews will share a prize haul, worth more than $250,000 in cash and equipment, donated by the leading HDD companies.
The 2024 HDD Rodeo is presented by Benjamin Media Inc. and Mark One Electric, which is hosting the exhibition and drilling competition. Kansas City-based Mark One Electric provides construction services from design/build and pre-construction to underground, data/comm and specialty systems. During its tenure, Mark One has grown to more than 200 employees and is the specialty contractor of choice for the Kansas City construction community.
“The HDD Rodeo is back!” says Benjamin Media Inc. president Rob Krzys. “We have wanted to bring this incredible event back to the HDD event stage to showcase the best of this fantastic trenchless sector and in 2024 all the stars have aligned to make it happen.”
Benjamin Media spearheaded and brought to life the original HDD Rodeo in December 1998, at a time when HDD was coming to the forefront of the trenchless industry. Held in Grapevine, Texas, the mood, atmosphere and energetic response of the drilling community took this event to incredible heights during its initial run. As the economy slowed, the Rodeo was placed on hold — until 2024.
“HDD has climbed its way back to a strong place within the construction industry with the application becoming the go-to and accepted application for new installation,” says Krzys, who has championed this event from the get-go. “This is the perfect time to put this application on the construction stage to showcase its capabilities, as well as the capabilities of the contractors who perform HDD every single day. The drillers are amped for this event!”
As noted, the 2024 HDD Rodeo is a three-tier event focusing on education, exhibiting companies and its premier component, the competition.
The competition takes place at a site in Independence, Missouri, about 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City. The HDD Rodeo competition is an exciting showcase of skill, accuracy and speed, pitting drilling crew against drilling crew.
Crews will take their best shot at completing a 230-ft bore and are judged on line and grade and the time it took to complete the shot. No pullback will take place. The top winners will receive a combination of cash and HDD-related prizes, donated from HDD companies around the industry — to date, totaling more than $233,000! Go to hddrodeo.com for a complete list of winning crew prizes!
“Our thanks to the HDD community for the incredible response in wanting to be a part of this event by exhibiting, donating their time and money to these crews,” Krzys says. “It’s a testament to the strength, energy and excitement of the HDD market that so many companies want to be a part of this.”
HDD Rodeo Seminar Sessions
Before the competition gets under way, the HDD classroom is the place to be, as industry experts gather to share their knowledge and expertise with attendees.
Topics range from case studies to bidding practices to new HDD technology.
Check out the schedule for what’s in store on Sept. 25. These sessions take place in Kansas City and are perfect for today’s rill crews, contractors, utility crews, engineers, system owners and other industry stakeholders looking to learn more about today’s HDD practices and latest equipment.
“Education is critical to keeping HDD growing and evolving,” Krzys says. “We have put together a terrific lineup for the Rodeo educational sessions who know their stuff and want to share it with the HDD audience. Education is the key to a safe and innovative future for HDD.”
The Educational Sessions take place at Mark One Electric 1414 Genesee Street, Kansas City, MO 64102. For complete details and the most updated session schedule, visit hddrodeo.com/schedule.
World Trenchless Day & Networking
Two fabulous trenchless events collide: the HDD Rodeo and World Trenchless Day!
HDD Rodeo Seminars Schedule
HDD Technology, Applications & Case Studies
Who should attend: Drill crews, contractors, system owners, consultants, engineers and any stakeholders who rely on HDD.
- 9 – 9:45 a.m. – Past / Present / Future of HDD –A brief history of HDD and plot the course towards the future of HDD.
- 9:45 – 10:15 a.m. – HDD Locating Technology
- 10:15 – 11 a.m. – Geotechnical Considerations for HDD Projects
- 11 – 11:15 a.m. – Networking Break
- 11:15 – 11:45 a.m. – Drilling Fluids
- 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Undergrounding Electric – Minimizing the Impacts of Electrical Construction – Benefits and Considerations of Utilizing HDD Technology for Electric Utilities
- 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. – Lunch/Mandatory Drill Crew Meeting
- 1:30 – 2 p.m. – Large Diameter Installation – HDD Installation for the South County Potable Water Transmission Main for Hillsborough County, Florida
- 2 – 2:30 p.m. – Pipe Materials in HDD
- 2:30 – 3 p.m. – Training and Education – A look at the Utility Systems Technician Associate of Applied Science degree program offered at State Technical College of Missouri.
- 3 – 3:30 p.m. – Bidding Practices for HDD
- 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. – First Look at the Field Site & Exhibits
All attendees are invited to the first look of the field site at– 21101 E. Route 78, Independence, MO 64507. Drill crews are encouraged to review their lane assignment and prepare for the next two days of competition.
** Attendees and crews are responsible for their own transportation to the field site. The field site is approximately 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City. **
World Trenchless Day is a day of global celebration (commemorated on the fourth Thursday of September each year) that shines a spotlight on all of trenchless technology’s benefits — safety, economics, environmental, social.
World Trenchless Day unites the entire trenchless industry — manufacturers, contractors, engineering firms, associations, public works and publications — to share the world of trenchless technology, reaching out to those who have not yet realized the impact that trenchless methods have on their communities.
In 2024, World Trenchless Day is Sept. 26 and we have a fantastic party and networking event planned to celebrate this day. Our celebration will be at GrindersKC in downtown Kansas City — which has brought numerous acts to the downtown stage and is the bests backyard experience for live music and events. Join us to celebrate the fabulous world of trenchless technology — with food, fun and the perfect way to network with the HDD community!
For more information or to register for the HDD Rodeo, visit hddrodeo.com.
HDD Rodeo Sponsors
Our thanks to the Diamond and Platinum Sponsors — Barbco and Digital Control Inc. (DCI) — as well as our additional Sponsors: Ring-O-Matic, Superior Pipeline Services, TuffRod, Truvac, Buckhorn Pumps Inc. and American HDD Pumps.
HDD Rodeo Sponsoring Organizations
Our appreciation to the following Sponsoring Organizations: Distribution Contractors Association (DCA), North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT), National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), Pipe Line Contractors Association (PLCA), Power & Communications Contractors Association (PCCA), Horizontal Directional Drilling Association (HDDA), Common Ground Alliance (CGA) and Pipe Line Contractors Association of Canada (PLCAC).
HDD Rodeo Exhibitors (As of 8/22/24)
American HDD Pumps
Barbco
Baroid Industrial Drilling Products
Buckhorn Pumps Inc.
CETCO
Contractor Solutions Trench Shoring
Digital Control Inc. (DCI)
Drillchem Drilling Solutions
Drillworx LLC
DrilRite Chemical
Elgin Separation Solutions
FS3 Inc. HARDROCK HDDP Hole Products INFINITY Tool Mfg.
INROCK/Brewis Engineering
IUOE/PLCA National Pipeline Training Fund
Kondux Corp.
Melfred Borzall
NUMA HDD Systems
Radius HDD
Ring-O-Matic
Superior Hydrovac
Triple C Mfg./Hydrabed Truvac
Underground Magnetics
Underground Tool Inc./TuffRod
Join us Sept. 25-27 in Independence, Missouri for this one-of-a-kind event showcasing HDD!!
Sharon M. Bueno is editor of Trenchless Technology.
