Taking Top Honors
10/20/2011

The BGE #1 winning team: Brad Wiglesworth, Miles Shumaker and Eugene Neeley.

A trio of Kentucky's Blue Grass Energy Team #1 linemen brought home the first-place overall trophy from the 2011 International Lineman’s Rodeo in the Journeyman EMC, REA, & Co-op division. Running a narrow second was Kentucky electric cooperative Jackson Energy Team #1. These two finished ahead of 25 of the best lineman teams in their division. Also, the BGE team finished 6th in the overall category with JE’s team coming in 12th out of more than 170 of the best teams in the country.

Almost 800 linemen competed in the 28th annual International Lineman’s Rodeo on October 15 in Kansas City. Teams competed in various events, including the hurt-man rescue, the pole climb, and mystery events. The rodeo offers linemen a chance to test their safety skills and compare them to others in the industry.

Showing support to Kentucky linemen crews, KAEC safety & loss prevention instructors David White and Kendall Bush were on hand with a hospitality tent. “Winning, and finishing second, in our division is a very big deal in the lineman world,” says Kendall. “By far the best finish any of our teams have ever had in Kansas City to my knowledge.”

Hard hats off to all the Kentucky electric co-op linemen who competed:

Blue Grass Energy
Team 1 – Brad Wiglesworth, Miles Shumaker, Eugene Neeley
Team 2 – Ben Coffey, Shawn Sowder, Dathan Lane
Apprentice - Chris Johnson

Warren RECC
Team 1 – Zak Wren, Corey Weaver, Trevor Brown
Team 2 – Mark Cardwell, Chad Cox, Paul Philburn
Apprentice – Colt Collier
Judges – David Hatcher, Phillip Morgan, Butch Morris

Licking Valley Electric
Team 1 – Bill Turner, Brian Lawson, Chad Hall
Judge – Wes McKinney

Grayson RECC
Team 1 – Mark Hutchinson, Bryan Rogers, Chris Mosier

Jackson Energy
Team 1 – Marty York, Garry Creech, Brian Turner
Team 2 – Gerard Lakes, Shane Vickers, Willis Sizemore
Apprentice – Jeremy Rayborn

Inter-County Energy
Team – David Turner, Chase Gander, Bruce King
Judge – Rick Conder

Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc. 4515 Bishop Lane * Louisville, KY  40218 502-451-2430 * FAX: 502-459-3209 Terms of Use