A four-person team from the City of Katy braved the odds at the Texas Recreation & Park Society (TRAPS) East Region Maintenance Rodeo earlier this month, despite being short-handed, according to a post on the City of Katy’s official Facebook page.

Richie Kainer, parks superintendent, and Bill Oppenlander, parks foreman, placed fourth in the Tractor and Trailer competition and maintenance worker Jerome Huey placed fourth in the Zero Turn Mower Obstacle Course.

The Texas Recreation & Park Society (TRAPS) East Region Maintenance Rodeo event is held annually each November to highlight the diverse skill set of parks maintenance crew members. According to the Facebook post, 29 teams from 24 different agencies competed in this year’s event. The City of Katy finished tied for 9th overall despite competing with only four team members, without enough participants to compete in all the events, the post said. Kainer, Oppenlander and Huey finished in the top five of their respective events and qualified for the State Maintenance Rodeo which will be held on February 27, 2024, in Galveston for a chance to compete against teams from across Texas.

Additionally. Richie Kainer competed in the Plant ID event while Bill Oppenlander entered in the backhoe competition and Mason McMillan competed in the Zero Turn and Nail Driving competitions. Jerome Huey also competed in the Backpack Blower Obstacle Course.