Jimmy Ward, the winner of this year’s Beaufort County School Bus ROADeo, rounded out the top 10 once the scores were tallied at the North Carolina annual School Bus ROADeo in Raleigh on May 26.

The competition included a written exam and a demanding obstacle course drivers had to properly maneuver through. Ward secured his spot in the state event by placing during the district rodeo May 4 in Nashville.

The event was sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles and the North Carolina Pupil Transportation Association.

Ward has served Beaufort County Schools as a bus driver for 13 years. He’s also a custodian at Washington High School.