Eight journeyman teams and eleven individual apprentices won awards at the American Public Power Association’s twenty-fourth annual Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo, held March 27-28, in Huntsville, Alabama.
Sixty-one journeyman teams and 136 apprentices competed. Fifty-six utilities had competitors in the apprentice and/or journeyman competitions from not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities across the nation. The “rodeo” is a series of competitive events demonstrating lineworker skills and safe work practices.
“Lineworkers are the frontline of excellence for our industry,” said APPA President & CEO Scott Corwin. “The Rodeo is a unique opportunity for them to face off against each other in friendly competition while also sharpening their skills and celebrating the craft.”
Huntsville Utilities hosted the Lineworkers Rodeo.
The awards honor lineworkers’ expertise and the events are judged based on safety, work practices, neatness, ability, equipment handling, and timely event completion. All safety rules established by APPA’s 17th edition Safety Manual were observed during events.
There are two levels of competition within the rodeo—journeyman and apprentice. The journeyman teams consist of three members—two climbers and a ground person—and can include an optional alternate. Journeymen have years of experience within the electric utility trade, while an apprentice lineworker is newer to the craft.
2026 PUBLIC POWER LINEWORKERS RODEO WINNERS
Apprentice – Overall Competition
1. Garrett Accomando, Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida
2. Dalton Gowdy, City of Tallahassee Electric & Gas Utility, Tallahassee, Florida
3. AJ Rikard, Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, South Carolina
Apprentice – Overall Competition By Utility Size
Small: Yahir Agular-Villagran, North Carolina Assoc. of Municipal Electric Systems, Kinston, North Carolina
Medium: Kyle Bezold, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Kissimmee, Florida
Large: Garrett Accomando, Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida
Utility Size Categories:
• Small: Utilities with fewer than 30000 customers
• Medium: Utilities with at least 30000 customers, but less than 100000 customers
• Large: Utilities with 100000 or more customers
Apprentice – Arrestor Replacement Single Phase Two Wire
1. AJ Rikard, Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, South Carolina
2. Joe Stachowicz, Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, South Carolina
3. Javier Diaz, Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, South Carolina
Apprentice – Hurtman Rescue
1. Dalton Gowdy, City of Tallahassee Electric & Gas Utility, Tallahassee, Florida
2. Shem Abramovitz, Roseville Electric, Roseville, California
3. Kyle Bezold, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Kissimmee, Florida
Apprentice – Single Phase Two Wire Tie-In/Untie
1. Dalton Gowdy, City of Tallahassee Electric & Gas Utility, Tallahassee, Florida
2. Garrett Accomando, Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida
3. AJ Rikard, Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, Santee Cooper
Apprentice – Load Transfer
1. Garrett Accomando, Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida
2. Dalton Gowdy, City of Tallahassee Electric & Gas Utility, Tallahassee, Florida
3. Lucas Jordan, Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, South Carolina
Apprentice - Written Test
1. Garrett Accomando, Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida
2. Dylan Tyler, Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida
3. Aidan Flick, Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida
Journeyman – Overall Competition
1. Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, AL: Cole Border, Adam Thomas & Colby Lipham
2. Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, SC: Jamie Anderson, Hunter Melton & Noah Enzor
3. Kissimmee Utility Authority, Kissimmee, FL: Austin Franey, Daniel Kelly & Cory Breen, Kevon McKinsey (Alternate)
Journeyman – Overall Competition
Small: Shakopee Public Utilities Commission, Shakopee, MN: Matt Kahle, Tyler Hanson & Jack Schintz
Medium: Kissimmee Utility Authority, Kissimmee, FL: Austin Franey, Daniel Kelly & Cory Breen
Kevon McKinsey (Alternate)
Large: Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, AL: Cole Border, Adam Thomas & Colby Lipham
Utility Size Categories:
• Small: Utilities with fewer than 30000 customers
• Medium: Utilities with at least 30000 customers, but less than 100000 customers
• Large: Utilities with 100000 or more customers
Journeyman – URD New Installation 12KV
1. Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, AL: Cole Border, Adam Thomas & Colby Lipham
2. Kissimmee Utility Authority, Kissimmee, FL: Austin Franey, Daniel Kelly & Cory Breen
Kevon McKinsey (Alternate)
3. Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, SC: Jamie Anderson, Hunter Melton & Noah Enzor
Journeyman – Storm Restoration
1. Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, AL: Cole Border, Adam Thomas & Colby Lipham
2. Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, SC: Jamie Anderson, Hunter Melton & Noah Enzor
3. Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, LA: Karol Dugas, Hunter Dugas & Seth Kelley
Journeyman – OCR Replacement
1. Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, AL: Zeb Ferguson, Taylor Weakley & Dakota Hill
2. Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, AL: Cole Border, Adam Thomas & Colby Lipham
3. Kissimmee Utility Authority, Kissimmee, FL: Austin Franey, Daniel Kelly & Cory Breen, Kevon McKinsey (Alternate)
Journeyman – Pin and Insulator Change Out 12KV
1. Kissimmee Utility Authority, Kissimmee, FL: Austin Franey, Daniel Kelly & Cory Breen
Kevon McKinsey (Alternate)
2. Lakeland Electric, Lakeland, FL: Clark Grenfell, Austin Carr & Dustin Zorn
3. Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, AL: Cole Border, Adam Thomas & Colby Lipham
Journeyman – Hurtman Rescue
1. Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, AL: Cole Border, Adam Thomas & Colby Lipham
2. Kissimmee Utility Authority, Kissimmee, FL: Austin Franey, Daniel Kelly & Cory Breen
Kevon McKinsey (Alternate)
3. JEA, Jacksonville, FL: Hunter Thomas, Ryan Kornegay & Noah Sapp
Chris Clardy (Alternate)
