What’s New at The 2025 Utility Expo

2025 HDD Rodeo Showcase, NUCA Competition Top List of Must-Attend Events

The utility construction sector is getting ready to converge on Louisville, Kentucky for The Utility Expo.

Set to take place Oct. 7-9 at the Kentucky Exposition Center, the show’s organizers have plenty of new and exciting events planned for the 2025 expo.

The biennial event features more than 900 companies bringing equipment, tools, and technology dedicated to transmission and distribution of utilities. These utilities accommodate modern life, including electric, gas, telecommunications and water.

“The Utility Expo has earned its reputation as the premier gathering place for utility professionals and contractors who are serious about growing their businesses and their expertise,” said Brianne Somers, show director of The Utility Expo. “Registering early ensures you are part of a professional, quality-driven experience. This experience is designed to connect you with the latest equipment, innovations, and real-world solutions.”

What’s New in 2025

This year’s Utility Expo is set to be a landmark event for the utility and construction industries. It is introducing several exciting new features including:

• Hosting the HDD Rodeo Showcase in conjunction with Benjamin Media Inc., the publisher of Compact Equipment, Trenchless Technology, Solar Builder and Utility Contractor magazines. The HDD Rodeo Showcase is a high-stakes horizontal directional drilling (HDD) competition. Top drilling crews compete for bragging rights and a spot at the 2026 HDD Rodeo, Dec. 2-4, 2026, in Perry, Georgia.
• The expo also strengthens its commitment to safety through partnerships with the Common Ground Alliance (CGA). This partnership promotes National Safe Digging Month, emphasizing the critical importance of calling 811 before excavation to prevent underground utility damage.
• Recognizing the mental health of construction professionals in the utility sector, a partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) aims to raise awareness and provide resources for mental health support within the utility workforce.
• The NUCA Equipment Operators Challenge, a fun and engaging competition with competitors operating equipment in challenging games. Challenges include; hole in one putting, soccer, corn hole, a water slide challenge and a pipe placement challenge.
• Expanded education offerings, more field classrooms and a Luncheon Symposium: Advancing Safety in the Electric Utility Industry (limited to 100 seats).
• Co-located Women’s Conference, Power to ADVANCE Women in Utilities (Professional development workshop)

These initiatives, combined with hands-on equipment demonstrations and educational sessions, make The Utility Expo 2025 an essential gathering. It’s for industry professionals committed to innovation, safety, and community well-being.

HDD Rodeo Showcase

This high-energy event pits top horizontal directional drilling (HDD) crews against each other in a live competition. It highlights the precision, speed, and ingenuity required for modern underground utility installation.

“Underground utility work has become a hotbed for innovation,” says Somers. “The HDD Rodeo puts that progress on display and allows crews to demonstrate the skill, strategy, and technology that drive the industry forward.”

The 2024 HDD Rodeo champion Ward Trenching will defend its title, competing for first place bragging rights and prizes donated by HDD Rodeo sponsors.

The top six crews from the 2024 HDD Rodeo were invited to compete in the HDD Rodeo Showcase at Utility Expo. They will be joined by two standout crews from PG&E — bringing together some of the best in the industry.

“This is about more than bragging rights,” said Joe Ward owner of Ward Trenching. “We want to show what’s possible when the right tools, training, and teamwork come together. HDD is the future of utility installation, and we’re proud to be part of raising that bar.”

Benjamin Media spearheaded the original HDD Rodeo in December 1998, when HDD was coming to the forefront of the trenchless industry. As the economy slowed, the event was placed on hold until 2024.
“This is more than a competition—it’s a platform for promoting industry standards and celebrating skilled professionals,” says Rob Krzys, president and CEO, Benjamin Media. “We’re proud to bring our expertise in underground construction to a show as influential as The Utility Expo.”

Beyond the Competition

The Utility Expo is the premier destination for those working in horizontal directional drilling. More than 140 exhibitors will showcase cutting-edge HDD equipment, tools, and trenchless solutions — explore them now in the online directory:

Two dedicated Walking Classrooms offer on-the-ground education tailored to HDD professionals. This includes Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD): Fundamentals of the Technology and Applications, and Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD): Challenges and Good Practices for a Successful Installation.

And with key industry leaders involved, including Utility Expo Management Committee Chair Brian Metcalf of Ring-O-Matic, an HDD Rodeo Showcase sponsor, the event brings together decision-makers who are shaping the future of underground utility installation.

Register to Attend The Utility Expo

The Utility Expo promises to be the biggest and most exciting yet. It features more than 1.5 million square feet of equipment, education, and live-action demonstrations designed for utility construction professionals.

Don’t miss out. Visit theutilityexpo.com/attend-the-show/registration-and-pricing to register for The Utility Expo. Use promo code HDDRODEO and enjoy 20% off your registration.