Teamwork, precision and dedication to safety were all showcased during the annual Lineworker’s Safety Rodeo — an event that celebrates the grit and determination of those on the front lines who keep the power on.
This year’s rodeo, coordinated by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, was held Sept. 19 at Lincoln Land Community College’s line yard in Springfield. Fifteen teams representing 12 electric co-ops and one municipal utility participated in the friendly competition, along with seven others who competed individually.
The rodeo highlights the skills lineworkers use every day to work safely and efficiently. Participants competed in a series of events using skills requiring agility, speed and accuracy. Scores for each event were based on completion time and proper execution of the task, but above all, participants were judged on safe work practices. Deductions were made due to mistakes such as slipping when climbing poles, dropping tools or executing inappropriate procedures or methods.
Results: Shelby Electric Cooperative’s team of Dalton Brown, Brian Chevalier and Jamie Sharp won Best Overall Team. Tyler Atchison of Egyptian Electric Cooperative earned Best Overall Individual.
The head-to-head Climbing Challenge is a competitive event where lineworkers race each other up and down a 40-foot utility pole to showcase their speed, agility and climbing technique while adjusting for obstacles.
Participants had to maintain strict safety standards, including the proper use of climbing hooks, belts and fall protection gear — all while moving quickly. Any slip in safety protocols results in disqualification. The challenge not only highlights physical endurance but also reinforces the critical safety skills needed for the job.
Results: Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative’s Grant Cooper (pictured in the lead) was named the victor of the Climbing Challenge.
Jaxon Coplea of Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative placing a crossarm during the Crossarm Change event. This is a timed competition that tests a lineworker’s ability to safely and efficiently replace a crossarm on a utility pole. Crossarms are horizontal supports that hold power lines, so this event mimics a real-life repair task.
While this is also an individual event, the crossarm change is performed in teams, requiring lineworkers to work together, communicating effectively to remove and replace the crossarm in the safest and fastest way possible.
Results: Adams Electric Cooperative’s team of Austin Aschemann, Brennan Caspermeyer and Garrett Kestner won the team event, and Tyler Atchison of Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association won individually.
Tyler Atchison of Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association competes in the 40-foot Transition Climb event. This challenge requires lineworkers to navigate obstacles while climbing a utility pole. This mimics real-life situations where lineworkers must adjust their position on a pole to perform tasks like installing or repairing equipment.
Transitioning from one position to another requires precise foot and hand placement, as well as careful use of tools. Judges score based on technique, efficiency and adherence to safety rules.
Results: Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association’s team of Andy Ahner, Atchison and Mike Smith won the team event, and Ricky Rickerman of Southwestern Electric Cooperative won individually.
Adams Electric Cooperative’s Brennan Caspermeyer competes in the Hurt Man Rescue event. This critical scenario is a staple at every rodeo as it simulates a real-life emergency where a lineworker must rescue a fellow worker who has been injured or incapacitated at the top of a utility pole. Effective rescue operations require clear communication and collaboration with a team.
It is a skill that every lineworker must know and hopes to never have to use. In a rodeo setting, this event serves as a reminder of the hazardous nature of the job and the importance of being prepared for emergencies. The participant must climb the pole safely, secure the “injured lineworker” and safely lower them to the ground.
Results: Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association’s Andy Ahner, Tyler Atchison and Mike Smith won the Hurt Man Rescue competition as a team, and Kyler Bosaw of SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative won the event individually.
Ryan Little, operations manager at Illinois Electric Cooperative, discusses results with a fellow judge during the Lineworker’s Safety Rodeo. More than two dozen judges were present at this year’s rodeo, playing a crucial role. Judges are essential in maintaining the integrity of the rodeo, enforcing safety, assessing skills and applying uniform rules and scoring criteria. They help ensure that safety is not compromised for the sake of speed.
M.J.M. Electric Cooperative’s Riley Marsh competes in the Cutout Change event, which tests a lineworker’s ability to safely and efficiently replace a cutout, an important component in electrical distribution systems used to protect electrical equipment. The cutout contains a fuse, and the event mimics the real-life scenario where a lineworker must replace a malfunctioning or blown fuse.
Competitors were judged as a team on how well they followed safety protocols in addition to speed and accuracy. The event is timed, so speed is critical, but mistakes or shortcuts that violate safety rules lead to penalties.
Results: The Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative team of Gavin Bennett, Grant Cooper and Mitchell Huddleston won the event.
