A team of three Clark Energy employees outperformed 23 other teams from 15 Kentucky electric cooperatives to capture the first place team award at the 2016 Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo July 29-30. This was the 12th year for the rodeo and Shelby Energy Cooperative hosted at the Shelby County Fairgrounds.

The Clark Energy team—journeyman linemen David Dennis, Raymond Turner and Kevin Vance—completed a series of tasks–hurtman pole swap and and two “mystery” events concocted by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives safety and loss prevention staff–in a time of 30 minutes and 26.38 seconds and a perfect score of 400.

Phillip Cornell, an employee of West Kentucky RECC, was named the top apprentice lineman. Cornell completed a series of four tasks–hurtman rescue, skills climb, de-energizing a line, and cutout & feed change–in 23 minutes and 46:55 seconds and a perfect score of 400.

Jackson Energy’s Jeremy Rayborn was named top journeyman lineman. Rayborn completed the same four tasks as the apprentice competition in 21 minutes and 53.53 seconds and received a perfect score of 400.

“The rodeo is not a speed event,” says KAEC’s Director of Safety and Loss Prevention Clarence Greene. “It’s a test of safety skills and dexterity. The journeyman tasks are really hard because the linemen have to wear rubber gloves to do the same work that the apprentices do in just leather gloves.

“This is one of my favorite events of the year,” says Chris Perry, president and CEO of KAEC/UUS. “We celebrate the best of the lineman in our electric cooperative program through professionalism, safety and the cooperative spirit.”

The 2017 Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo will be in London, KY and hosted by Jackson Energy.

To learn more about the rodeo, click “Safety” above and choose “Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo” from the drop-down menu.