Due to the impact of Hurricane Helene on Kentucky’s electric  cooperatives, the 2024 Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo, scheduled for October 3-4, has been canceled.

After making landfall in Florida on Thursday, September 26 at 11:25 pm EDT, the storm moved quickly enough to bring hurricane force winds into the southeast U.S. and tropical storm force winds into the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys, snapping tree limbs and toppling whole trees into power lines, breaking hundreds of poles across Kentucky.

At the height of the storm, more than 100,000 electric cooperative consumer-members lost power. Central Kentucky experienced winds of 40-60 mph winds, with a maximum measured wind of 65 mph at the Lexington Airport in the afternoon of Friday, September 27.

The region also received 3-5 inches of rainfall during this event. The post-tropical low pressure system continued to spin over central Kentucky for a few days before moving out of the region.

The storm significantly impacted both the operations of co-ops across the state and the safety team of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives which coordinates mutual aid efforts. As of Sunday evening, 60 hours after Helene’s remnants slammed into Kentucky, co-ops had restored power to 90% of those who had lost it on Friday.

“Getting the lights back on safely is our number one priority,” said Randy Meredith, Director of Safety and Loss Prevention at Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “Although the decision to cancel the Rodeo is a difficult one, it is the right one for our members. All energies and resources will be focused on the cooperatives’ number one mission.”

For 20 years, the Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo has showcased the skills, agility and safety of electric cooperative lineworkers who compete in a variety of events to promote safety and the development of unique skills, The event offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at their essential work and training while promoting safety, teamwork and cooperation.

At this time, the statewide association does not plan on rescheduling the event which was to be hosted by East Kentucky Power Cooperative in Winchester.

“We appreciate your understanding and support during this challenging time,” Meredith added. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the hurricane and those working to restore power.”

Every day, lineworkers across Kentucky are out in remote areas of the state doing what it takes to keep the power flowing to more than 1.5 million people served by electric co-ops. Once a year, however, a select group of these lineworkers come together for two days of competition like no other, the Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo.

On Sept. 13-14, 125 lineworkers representing 17 of Kentucky’s electric co-ops converged on the Murray-Calloway County Fairgrounds to compete in the 14^th annual rodeo.

Click here for list of winners and scores

“It’s about teamwork, it’s about camaraderie and it’s about showing off the skills these linemen have learned,” says David Smart, president and CEO of West Kentucky Rural Electric, which hosted this year’s event.

Blue Grass Energy was the big winner, sweeping the overall individual journeymen category and taking first in the overall team category. Tim Hembree, a journeyman lineman from Blue Grass, placed in the top three in eight categories.

“The Kentucky’s Lineman’s Rodeo is an opportunity for linemen to demonstrate their commitment to safety while showcasing their skills,” says Mike Williams, president and CEO of Blue Grass Energy. “I’m very proud of the hard work and dedication to safety that not only our lineworkers, but all linemen demonstrated while participating in this event.”

The Lineman’s Rodeo was created by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives to promote safety for co-op linemen around the state. The training and skills of these linemen are part of the mission of Kentucky’s electric cooperatives, to provide a high level of electrical services at the lowest possible price through a local, consumer-owned form of business.

“Training for the rodeo has really helped our younger guys,” says Randy Meredith of Nolin RECC, which will host the 2019 rodeo. “They improved in safety and they improved in their technique. So, it was a real win, win situation.

Seven senior individuals, 36 individual journeymen and 36 apprentice lineworkers competed in these events: Capacitator De-Energize, Line De-Energize and Armor Rod & Tie. There were 31 teams from the 17 co-ops that competed in the OCR Changeout, Line Replacement and Underarm Disconnect competitions. Individuals and teams competed in the “Hurt man” competition, which focuses on following the correct procedures in the event someone needs to be rescued after coming into contact with a live wire.

Jason Isaacs, a lineman for Blue Grass who competed for the first time, says the experience was one he plans on repeating.

“It was nerve-racking, but it was a great experience,” he says. “With everyone watching, you just want to do good.”