Page 6 - OPE Nov 22-Feb 23

CLIPPINGS
Local and International News
INTERNATIONAL OPE EVENTS
Major outdoor
expo breaks records
AFTER TWO YEARS away thanks to the pandemic, no less than 25,000 visitors and exhibitors
congregated in Louisville Kentucky for Equip Exposition 2022.
The massive former GIE+EXPO trade fair attracted attendees from all 50 US states and 49 countries, including Guam, New Zealand, and Australia.
“The trade show remains the industry’s family reunion,” says Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Equip Exposition and
the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), which owns the trade show.
“This year’s numbers show the industry is strong and optimistic about 2023,” he says. “The industry continues to innovate and bring new technologies to markets evidenced by the major product announcements, education, networking that went on.”
As well as a handful of automated mowers, California’s impending (2024) small engine ban no doubt drove a mix of market-ready and prototype product announcements centred around the wholesale electrification of commercial- scale standers and ride-ons and included battery-powered innovations from
Greenworks Commercial, Bobcat, Exmark, John Deere, Mean Green, and others.
Although it sounds like consideration is being given to moving the show to another
venue, next year’s show returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center and will be held over 18-20 October 2023. n
www.equipexposition.com
YOUR OUTDOOR POWER DIARY
LOOKING FORWARD TO a more stable 2023 and for more certainty around events and trade fairs in the new year!
2022
Nov 30-3 Dec: National Fieldays, Hamilton, NZ. www.fieldays.co.nz 2023
Jan 24-27: IPM ESSEN Horticulture Trade Fair, Essen, Germany. www.ipm-essen.de/world-trade-fair/
Jan 31-2 Feb: National Hardware Show, Las Vegas, USA. www.nationalhardwareshow.com
Feb 28-2 March: Asia-Pacific Sourcing, Cologne, Germany. www.asia-pacificsourcing.com
March 2-4: Northland Field Days, Dargaville, NZ. https://northlandfielddays.co.nz/ March 9: Residential Development Summit 2023, Auckland, NZ. www.propertynz.co.nz
March 10-12: Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games, Palmerston North, NZ. https://ruralgames.co.nz/
March 16-18: Central Districts Field Days, Manfeild, NZ. www.cdfielddays.co.nz Aussies take out
March 29-31: South Island Agricultural Field Days, Kirwee, NZ. www.siafd.co.nz 2022 TIMBERSPORTS titles
June 14-17: National Fieldays, Hamilton, NZ. www.fieldays.co.nz June 18-21: Spoga+gafa, Cologne, Germany. www.spogagafa.com
June 20-21: BuildNZ, Facilities Integrate, National Safety Show, Auckland, NZ. www.buildnz.com
July 26-28: Local Government New Zealand Conference, Christchurch, NZ. www.lgnz.co.nz
Aug 16-17: Hire Industry Association (HIANZ) Conference, Wellington, NZ. www.hianz.net.nz
Oct 18-20: Equip Expo & Hardscape North America, Louisville, USA. www.equipexposition.com
Aussies take out
2022 TIMBERSPORTS titles
GOTHENBURG IN SWEDEN at the end of October was the venue for 2022’s
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Team and Individual World Championships.
Sad to say the best the Kiwis managed this year was a gutsy third place in the teams’
champs, but big ups to Australia’s Chopperoos, who just beat Team USA for the top spot on the 2022 teams podium.
In the small final, New Zealand bounced back from semi-final heartbreak to triumph over Canada and claim the final podium place.
Nine-time Individual World Champion, New Zealand’s Jason Wynyard, said of the result: “Make no mistake third place is not what we came here for, but the standard of competition is very high and there are a lot of talented teams in the world. We are grateful to step on the podium in such a strong field.”
The 2022 champs were also notable for the inclusion of the first woman to compete for a national team, namely Denmark’s Felixia Banck.
Australian Brad De Losa followed up his team’s success by taking out the 2022 STIHL TIMBERSPORTS Individual World Championship, having edged out USA’s Matt Cogar by one point in a thrilling finish to regain the title he first won in 2013. Canada’s Marcel Dupuis was third.
For 2023, the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS World Championship will be returning to Germany, where the world’s best logger sports athletes will entertain crowds in Stuttgart’s Porsche Arena.
www.stihl-timbersports.com
06 NZ OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT NOVEMBER 2022-FEBRUARY 2023
more at www.facebook.com/NZOPEmagazine