Global Operator Champion, Brian Hayden holding his trophy
Global Operator Champion, Brian Hayden holding his trophy

Deutsch   |   English - Europe    |   English - Australia/New Zealand

English - United States & Canada    |    Español   |    Nederlands  |  Português  |   日本語

Meet Your Global Operator Challenge Champion

Brian Hayden from the United States proved himself the best of the best after taking on three demanding challenges and eight other finalists at Caterpillar's Global Operator Challenge, held at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026. Each test pushed finalists to their limits, demanding technical mastery and total control. In the end, our winner delivered when it mattered most.
 

the Global Operation Champion; Brian Hayden
of
It's a great honor and accomplishment to be recognized for what I've been doing my whole life.

Brian Hayden

 

Hailing from Wells, Maine, Brian Hayden built his skills as an operator on the job, growing up in his family business and honing his prowess for the global stage with the support of Milton Cat. Powering through local qualifiers and semi-finals, he brings his passion and acumen to Operator Stadium. Winning not one but two individual challenges, Brian certainly proved he's worthy of the title Global Operator Challenge Champion.

Celebrating Our Team Champions

From precision to teamwork, these operators prove what’s possible when skill meets collaboration. Team Europe rose above the competition to claim victory.

Team Europe:
Sebastian Behr - Germany
Nicolai Thomsen - Denmark
Gunter Dewit - Belgium

Team Europe posing with their trophies
Team Europe posing with their trophies

Event Winners

Ace of Loaders event
of


Ace of Loaders Challenge Winner: Gunter Dewit - Belgium

Operators test speed and control by loading a truck, switching to forks, transporting and placing a pipe. Smooth tool transitions win the run.
 

Street Gambler event
of


Street Gambler Challenge Winner: Brian Hayden - United States

This urban-inspired challenge showcases the finesse and power of excavator operators as they tackle a series of precision tasks.
 

Centennial Push event
of


Centennial Push Challenge Winner: Brian Hayden - United States

This dozer challenge combines tire pushing, fine grading and pipe placement to honor a century of earthmoving. Blade control and precision will win.
 

Missed the live stream?

Catch every challenge, every moment, every winning run and see what everyone's talking about.

Watch Now
panaromic photo of the Global Operator Challenge event
panaromic photo of the Global Operator Challenge event

Meet the Operators

These operators represented the best from their regions and competed at the highest level. Together, they made the Caterpillar Global Operator Challenge an unforgettable showcase of skill.
 

Brian Hayden, AmN Regional Winner, holding their trophy
of


Brian Hayden

Company: Hayden Excavating
Dealer: Milton Cat
Location: United States of America
 

Cat Hydraulic Hoses & Couplings
of


Brock Leclerc

Company: Quattro Constructors
Dealer: Finning Canada
Location: Canada
 

Andre Nowak
of


André Nowak

Company: Nowomak
Dealer: PESA
Location: Brazil
 

Cat Hydraulic Hoses & Couplings
of


Norio Miyajima

Company: Tanaka Sangyo (TSK)
Dealer: NCD Japan
Location: Japan
 

Cat Hydraulic Hoses & Couplings
of


Shane Poole

Company: Diamond Excavators
Dealer: Hastings Deering Australia
Location: Australia
 

Cat Hydraulic Hoses & Couplings
of


Tim Lamb

Company: Daracon Group
Dealer: WesTrac NSW
Location: Australia
 

Cat Hydraulic Hoses & Couplings
of


Gunter Dewit

Company: Grondwerken JP Dewit En Zoon
Dealer: Bergerat Monnoyeur
Location: Belgium
 

Cat Hydraulic Hoses & Couplings
of


Nicolai Thomsen

Company: Anlægsgartner Mikael Thomsen
Dealer: Zeppelin Denmark
Location: Denmark
 

Cat Hydraulic Hoses & Couplings
of


Sebastian Behr

Company: Reuen Tief- und Straßenbau GmbH
Dealer: Zeppelin GmbH
Location: Germany
 

Follow the Road to the Finals

The moment is here. Follow along on social for finalist stories, behind-the-scenes moments and all the action unfolding in Las Vegas.

Get Inspired

Hear from the People Behind the Competition

Listen as experts and participants share their stories, experiences and takeaways.
 

of

Dirt Masters — Episode 1 Join Caterpillar experts Jeff Muniz and Jason Hurdis alongside 2025 North America Regional Competitors Josh Blanton and Danny Younghusband. They share stories from the competition and offer tips and tricks for operators looking to sharpen their skills — and maybe one day take on the Global Operator Challenge.

of

Dirtmasters — Episode 2 Caterpillar experts Jeff Muniz and Jason Hurdis return with two more operators as the Global Operator Challenge North America Regionals draw closer. Hear how they’re preparing for the big event, get tips to sharpen your own skills, and learn about the special Centennial paint job honoring 100 years of Cat® machines.

of

Dirtmasters — Episode 3 Jeff Muniz and Jason Hurdis sit down with operators preparing to forge their legacies in the Global Operator Challenge. Then Jeff takes on a game of bags — with a Cat® backhoe loader. Who comes out on top?

of

Global Operator Challenge (GOC) Regionals 2025: What Makes a Good Operator?

of

Global Operator Challenge (GOC) Regionals 2025 brought to you by Caterpillar®: The Greatest Job

of

Global Operator Challenge (GOC) Regionals 2025 brought to you by Caterpillar®: Moving Dirt Better

 

 

Inside CONEXPO-CON/AGG

CONEXPO-CON/AGG brought together the global construction industry for innovation, education and competition. Learn more about the event that brought you the 2026 Global Operator Challenge.

Learn More
Inside CONEXPO-CON/AGG
Inside CONEXPO-CON/AGG