Groff Tractor & Equipment hosted Case Rodeo Series events in Bellefonte, Pa. on Saturday, April 28 at the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science & Technology (CPI) and in Ephrata (Lancaster) Pa. at its Ephrata branch on Saturday, May 5.

Nationwide in 2007, Case dealers will be holding more than 80 backhoe rodeo events to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the first factory-integrated tractor loader backhoe — the Case Model 320.

All first place winners of the Case Rodeo Series events will receive a $500 VISA card, a collectible 1/16 scale model of the Case 50th Anniversary Edition backhoe and a special edition Rodeo Series jacket. All first place contestants will receive a trip for two with accommodations to the March 2008 Con-Expo-Con/AGG show in Las Vegas, where they will compete in the Case North American Championship Event. The grand champion will win a fully loaded 50th Anniversary Edition Case 580 Super M Series 2 backhoe valued at $119,203.

During the events, each participating Case dealer also will donate $1,000 to a local Habitat for Humanity chapter while helping to raise awareness of the organization as well as recruit volunteers. During the recent events, Groff Tractor donated its share to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Centre County and to the Lancaster Area Habitat for Humanity.

Local contractors competed in three skilled events, which will be featured at all Case Series Rodeo events: the Balance Beam, Drop in the Bucket and Setting the Charge.

The Balance Beam event features a beam with a PVC pipe attached to each end. The beam is initially set on a T-stand with softballs set on each pipe. Contestants then must pick up the beam using two chains and relocate it to another T-stand without losing the softballs atop the PVC pipes.

The Drop in the Bucket event features three balls — basketball, soccer and softball — that contestants must scoop off a pylon and subsequently drop into a container.

For the Setting the Charge event, contestants must pick up two puzzle pieces hanging (and often swinging) from chains — a triangle and square — and carefully set each into its corresponding mat on the ground.

The top five finishers, their points and prize money during Groff Tractor's Bellefonte event were:

• 1st: Mike Holtzinger, CPI, Pleasant Gap, Pa., 183 points ($500)

• 2nd: Ken Foster, Stone Valley, Pine Grove Mills, Pa., 238 points ($300)

• 3rd: Michael Murnyack, Walsh Construction, Clarence, Pa., 245 points ($250)

• 4th: J. Michael Welsh, Stewart & Tate, York, Pa., 292 points ($200)

• 5th: Jody Nevling, Tressler & Fedor Excavating Inc., Port Matilda, Pa., 317 points ($100)

The top five finishers, their points and prize money during Groff Tractor's Ephrata event were:

• 1st: Dane Layser, Double D Construction, Newmanstown, Pa., 200 ($500)

• 2nd: Ryan Funk, D. H. Funk & Sons, Columbia, Pa., 244 ($300)

• 3rd: Roger Armstrong, B.R. Kreider, Manheim, Pa., 254 ($250)

• 4th: Ernest Miller, McMinn's Asphalt, Lancaster, Pa., 261 ($200)

• 5th: Michael Lehman, Dillsburg Septic, Dillsburg, Pa., 270 ($100).

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