SDDOT Snowplow Naming Contest

Thaw Patrol - 2025 Battle of the Blades Named Snowplow Blizzard Bracket Winner!

Submitted by: Jamie Keiser and Winner Elementary 1st Grade Class

Wednesday, April 23, 2025:

SDDOT hosted a celebration at Winner Elementary for their named plow "Thaw Patrol" which won the SDDOT vs. NDDOT Dakota Battle of the Blades earlier this month. Governor Larry Rhoden was able to join the students to celebrate.

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Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025:

Thaw Patrol was named by Winner Elementary’s first grade class. It was great to see the community of Winner and all South Dakotan's rally around Thaw Patrol. Thank you to everyone who participated in this great contest!

"Thaw Patrol" was the name submitted by Winner Elementary's First Grade class. "Thaw Patrol" stopped by the Winner Elementary School this week to visit a huge crowd of students!

All 409 students at Winner Elementary were able to meet "Thaw Patrol" and last year's winning truck, "Clearapathera." The students learned about the innovative features found on a snowplow and the dedicated work that goes into winter maintenance.

Special thanks to Winner Elementary Principal Brian Naasz for setting up a pizza party for the entire school to celebrate this event and help engage everyone involved in the winter maintenance discussion.

2025 SDDOT Named Snowplows Blizzard Bracket

Three years ago, a new component was added to the contest with the addition of the SDDOT Blizzard Bracket! The Blizzard Bracket provides additional opportunities to engage with the public and promote winter safety messaging. Over 70,000 votes were cast during the first Blizzard Bracket competition alone.

And, in a new Blizzard Bracket Twist – it’s time for the Dakota Challenge! The SDDOT and North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) will be facing off for the official crown of Battle of the Blades Champion. See the bracket below for matchups as the top two named plows from each state meet in the championship to battle it out!

SDDOT Snowplow Naming Contest

“We strive to be the primary resource for South Dakota travelers throughout the year. Within the past couple years, SDDOT added a winter weather travel alerts and road condition resource page on our website (https://dot.sd.gov) to share vital road-related conditions and updates,” said Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt. “This one-stop shop provides a central location of key resources and tools for the traveling public. We know that the more information we can provide about current and projected road conditions, the better travel decisions are made by travelers.

As part of the contest, SDDOT also created snowplow and winter driving weather awareness coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, and word finds for families and classrooms. Materials are available for download below.

For more information about the contest, contact Julie Stevenson, Strategic Communications Coordinator julie.stevenson@state.sd.us.

2024 - 2025 Winners

Aberdeen Area - Thaw Enforcement

Belle Fourche Area - Salty

Custer Area - Plowy

Huron Area - Plowabunga

Mitchell Area - Clear-a-patha

Mobridge Area - Polar Plow

Pierre Area - Capital Drift

Rapid City Area - Albert Icestein

Sioux Falls Area - Fast and Flurrious

Watertown Area - Hans Snowlo

Winner Area - Thaw Patrol

Yankton Area - Catch my Drifts

Kids Activity Packet

DOWNLOAD KIDS ACTIVITY BOOK (PDF FOR PRINT)

View the Past Winners

2023-2024 Winners

Aberdeen Area – Snow Boss

Belle Fourche Area – Not My First Snowdeo

Custer Area - Snow-key the Bear

Huron Area - Saltosaurus Rex

Mitchell Area - Plow Bunyan

Mobridge Area - Snow Crusher

Pierre Area – Blade of Glory

Rapid City Area - Scoop! There it is!

Sioux Falls Area - South Da-Snow-Ta

Watertown Area – Frostimus Prime

Winner Area - Clearapathera

Yankton Area - Salt, Rattle, & Roll

2022-23 Winners

Aberdeen Area – Luke Ice Walker

Belle Fourche Area – Catch My Drift

Custer Area - Black Hills Cold Rush

Huron Area - Thawsome

Mitchell Area – Sleetwood Mac

Mobridge Area - Snow Force One

Pierre Area – Little Plow on the Prairie

Rapid City Area - Betty White-Out

Sioux Falls Area - Blizzard Buster - 2023 Blizzard Bracket Champion!

Watertown Area – Snowmagator

Winner Area - Plowabunga

Yankton Area - 605 Polar Express

2021-22 Winners

Aberdeen Area - Blizzard of Oz

Belle Fourche Area - Mr. Snow Jangles

Custer Area - Snow Squatch

Governor Noem's Honorary Name - Dale

Huron Area - Termiblader

Mitchell Area - Highway Hero

Highway Hero
Submitted by: Melissa Davis

Read the Mitchell Republic News Article about Highway Hero!

What would you name a snowplow? How's 'Highway Hero,' which will soon push powder, scrape ice in Mitchell area

The South Dakota Department of Transportation announced 12 winners of the state's second annual Name the Snowplow contest

Written By: Hunter Dunteman | 1:49 pm, Jan. 5, 2022

A City of Mitchell snow plow clears off a road near Avera Queen of Peace Hospital.

PIERRE, S.D. — Twelve freshly named snowplows will hit the streets this winter, pushing fresh powder aside for travelers in South Dakota to arrive to their destinations safely.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) held its second annual Name the Snowplow contest in November, accepting public submissions for state-owned snowplows in 12 different plowing districts across the state.

The contest was designed to engage people across the state with the SDDOT in a fun way while providing safety information to assist the traveling public during winter weather.

“Dale’s legacy is a tribute to all snowplow operators, tow truck drivers, law enforcement officials, and others who work long hours, in tough winter weather conditions, to keep the traveling public safe throughout our state,” Noem said.

Roadway safety is a high priority for the SDDOT, and officials say winter driving and snowplow safety awareness is vital to keeping people safe each and every day.

Melissa Davis, of Mitchell, who submitted the winning name of Highway Hero, focused her entry on the hard work of the SDDOT snowplow operators.

“There are heroes all around us,” Davis said. “I wanted to recognize the hard work and sacrifice that snowplow drivers give every winter. It is true that not all heroes wear capes.”

Part of that sacrifice is heading to work whenever it snows — even if it’s a weekend or holiday, according to Liz Franco, of Elk Point, who submitted the winning name of Thank Me Blader.

“The inspiration behind the submission of Thank Me Blader was my dad, who worked as a snow plow driver for the state,” Franco said. “Snowplow operators serve an essential role in keeping the public safe, having to go out in the worst of driving conditions and on weekends and holidays. It’s a role that does not get as much recognition and thanks as it should.”

Snowplow naming contests, and their adaptations, have taken the internet by storm in recent years, since officials in the United Kingdom opened up for public submissions to name a research vessel.

When voting on submitted names had concluded, Boaty McBoatFace led the polls with over 124,000 votes. Researchers instead opted for the fourth-highest vote-getter, David Attenborough, which only garnered 1,100 votes.

Name-a-snowplow contests have been held in recent years in Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and more.

In July, Rapid City adapted the contest to name their garbage trucks, resulting in trash-haulers named Sir Dumps A Lot, Mt. Trashmore, Littler-Gitter and Obi-One-Can-Only.

In SDDOT's 2020-21 competition, Mitchell's snowplow was named Blizzard Wizard, while other SDDOT areas saw snowplows named Thaw Enforcement, Walter the Salter and more.

If SDDOT decides to hold another contest later this year, submissions have traditionally opened in November.

Mobridge Area - Drift Dominator

Pierre Area - Snow Problemo