NATCHEZ — Mississippi Department of Transportation employees will showcase skills that make everyday travel possible during the annual Equipment Operators “Roadeo” in Downtown Natchez this week.

The Roadeo will turn necessary safety and operative training into an entertaining and competitive event, said Matt Dugas, MDOT resident engineer for the Washington Project office.

Locals are invited to witness, and perhaps support district seven which includes Natchez, as participants carefully maneuver heavy equipment.

The Roadeo will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, when approximately 250 participants will occupy downtown from High Street to Franklin Street with heavy machinery, tractors and trucks for the first state rodeo to ever be hosted in MDOT’s southwest district — district seven.

“Our goal is to train these guys,” Dugas said. “This is a way to train them while giving them motivation and a reward for all of the hard work they do.”

After battling it out in district contests last March in Newton, participants are now advancing into a statewide contest to see which two districts can earn a place in a regional competition in Arkansas against DOT employees in 13 states.

Contestants will use a backhoe to pick up a golf ball and drop it into a cup, avoid hitting caution cones while backing up through weaving obstacle courses and then will try to knock tennis balls off of tees with the blade of a motor grader among other challenges.

“It takes some real finesse,” Dugas said.

District seven’s engineer Albert White said the various contests simulate real-life obstacles that MDOT employees face daily.

“When you’re digging out a road, most of the time you’re digging around utilities or something that is in the way,” White said. “You have to have control.”

With the help of various sponsors, the contestants will enjoy a stay at the Natchez Grand Hotel and a reception dinner at the Natchez Convention Center after a day of safety briefing, setting up the course and practice sessions on Tuesday.

White said the event helps ensure that all MDOT equipment operators have the skills and experience to safely carry out their duties on Mississippi highways.

“A big part of the Roadeo emphasizes safety,” he said. “The first rule is to put your seatbelt on. … It trains (participants) to operate the equipment in a challenging environment where they can push each other and encourage one another — but do it safely.”