Southland Truck Show and Parade 2018

By: Dean Middleton, Photography by: Dean Middleton

Date: 15.11.2018

The coveted ‘King Rig’ trophy winner was McAuley’s pristine Western Star from Masterton. The first time the trophy has left the South Island in the show’s 37-year history.

‘King Rig’ runner-up and the ‘Best Scania’ prizes went to Sinclair Transport and their outstanding Scania

Rows of gleaming trucks lined up on the roads around the large industrial block

Milnes Transport’s stunning livestock truck took out the ‘Best Isuzu’ award

Mainfreight contractor N R and T J Anderson won the ‘Best paint job/Artwork’ prize with their ominous K200 Kenworth

‘Best Classic Truck’ was awarded to McNeill drilling and their Mack Superliner with their equally classic restored R-model Mack piggybacking along for the ride

Caldwell Contracting’s brand spanking new UD Quon joined in on the festivities

Waituna Transport had their�dropsider�and spreader on display; the Isuzu won the ‘Best New truck under 20,000km prize

The HW Richardson Group of companies are huge supporters of the show; this logger won the ‘Best Kenworth’

Eden Haulage took away several prizes, including ‘Best Fleet’ and ‘Best Freightliner’

Dixon Haulage’s smart new Western Star logger

This imposing Kenworth of Scott Transport’s won ‘Best Logger’

B&C Haulages tough-looking CL Mack and low loader

A superb recently restored G88 Volvo back in her original Northern Southland Transport livery

The ‘Best Stock Truck’ prize went to Hokonui Rural Transport’s immaculate Freightliner

Central Southland Freight turned up in numbers

McEwan’s outstanding T900 Kenworth

Freight Haulage’s immaculate near-new FM Volvo�

The coveted ‘King Rig’ trophy winner was McAuley’s pristine Western Star from Masterton. The first time the trophy has left the South Island in the show’s 37-year history.

‘King Rig’ runner-up and the ‘Best Scania’ prizes went to Sinclair Transport and their outstanding Scania

Rows of gleaming trucks lined up on the roads around the large industrial block

Milnes Transport’s stunning livestock truck took out the ‘Best Isuzu’ award

Mainfreight contractor N R and T J Anderson won the ‘Best paint job/Artwork’ prize with their ominous K200 Kenworth

‘Best Classic Truck’ was awarded to McNeill drilling and their Mack Superliner with their equally classic restored R-model Mack piggybacking along for the ride

Caldwell Contracting’s brand spanking new UD Quon joined in on the festivities

Waituna Transport had their�dropsider�and spreader on display; the Isuzu won the ‘Best New truck under 20,000km prize

The HW Richardson Group of companies are huge supporters of the show; this logger won the ‘Best Kenworth’

Eden Haulage took away several prizes, including ‘Best Fleet’ and ‘Best Freightliner’

Dixon Haulage’s smart new Western Star logger

This imposing Kenworth of Scott Transport’s won ‘Best Logger’

B&C Haulages tough-looking CL Mack and low loader

A superb recently restored G88 Volvo back in her original Northern Southland Transport livery

The ‘Best Stock Truck’ prize went to Hokonui Rural Transport’s immaculate Freightliner

Central Southland Freight turned up in numbers

McEwan’s outstanding T900 Kenworth

Freight Haulage’s immaculate near-new FM Volvo�

A glimpse of the gleaming trucks that paraded the streets for the annual Southland Truck Show 2018

Labour weekend rolled around quickly again this year and with it came the annual Southland Truck Show and Parade held on Sunday, 21 October 2018. My trusty side-kick (who also happens to be my son) and avid eight-year-old truck photographer Ben and I arrived at the industrial area to photograph the trucks that congregate just after 7am.

There was not a truck to be seen, which had us wondering whether or not the event was going to be as big as previous years. Within a few minutes, however, the trucks started rolling in and more than 140 trucks later, the streets were lined with pristine rigs parked up and ready for judging.

Plenty of locals walked the closed-off streets to admire the trucks during the rest of the morning, but the big event for the general public happened early in the afternoon.

The streets on the route of the parade were lined with cars and hundreds of people, young and old, awaited the convoy of trucks that head out from the venue at 1pm.

The one thing that hasn’t been seen at the parade for many years and that finally made an appearance this year was the sun; the 20-plus degree temperature made it a pleasant day for all. 

Prize-giving was held later in the afternoon at the Newfield Tavern and the coveted ‘King Rig’ trophy was awarded to the pristine Western Star of McAuley’s Transport from Masterton.

The McAuley star also took away the ‘Best Western Star’ and ‘Longest Distance Travelled’ prizes. It was also the first time in the event’s 37-year-long history that the ‘King Rig’ trophy has left the South Island. Check out the following pages for some more highlights.

Southland Truck Show and Parade 2018 winners

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