Contact [email protected] for more information.
Kansas City, Kansas, April 3 – Eleven journeyman teams and 15 individual apprentices won awards at the American Public Power Association’s twenty-first annual Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo, held March 31-April 1, in Kansas City, Kansas.
Forty-five journeyman teams and 100 apprentices competed. Forty-one utilities had competitors in the apprentice and/or journeyman competitions. The “rodeo” is a series of competitive events demonstrating lineworker skills and safe work practices.
“We’re so pleased by the participation this year of lineworkers representing public power utilities from communities across the nation,” said Jeff Haas, APPA Acting President & CEO. “The friendly competition is all about safety, training, comradery, and pride in the craft.”
The awards honor lineworkers’ expertise, and the events are judged 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.
2023 PUBLIC POWER LINEWORKERS RODEO WINNERS
Apprentice - Overall
- Ryan Kornegay, JEA, Florida
- Ethan Shellabarger, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Florida
- Wiliam Kupfer, Roseville Electric, California
- Jorge Diaz, Roseville Electric, California
- Richard Cancilla, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), California
Apprentice – Double Dead End Insulator Change-Out
- Zan Habetz, Lafayette Utilities System, Louisiana
- Dalton Gowdy, City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Florida
- Ethan Shellabarger, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Florida
Apprentice – Crossarm Relocate
- Zan Habetz, Lafayette Utilities System, Louisiana
- Noah Sapp, JEA, Florida
- Andrew Thibodeaux, Lafayette Utilities System, Louisiana
Apprentice – Cutout Relocation
- Ryan Kornegay, JEA, Florida
- Connor Gary, Lafayette Utilities System, Louisiana
- Carlton Blake Paul, Lafayette Utilities System, Louisiana
Apprentice - Hurtman Rescue
- Zan Habetz, Lafayette Utilities System, Louisiana
- Jorge Diaz, Roseville Electric, California
- Robert Rivera, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Florida
Apprentice - Written Test
- Josh Earhart, Ocala Electric Utility, Florida
- Mason McNabb, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), California
- Collin Diggs, Jackson Energy Authority, Tennessee
Journeyman - Overall
- Ocala Electric Utility, Florida: Tyler Homan, Mathew Brown, and Henry Pearson
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), California: Justin Estes, Tanner Barnes, and Matt Ramey
- Santee Cooper, South Carolina: Joe Sawyer, Dow Hardee, and Hunter Melton
- City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Florida: Josh Helton, Justin Johnson, and Coy Judd
- Roseville Electric, California: Philip Hartnett, Kyle Geisser, and James Wolter
Journeyman – 2.4kV Cut Out and Insulator Change-Out
- Santee Cooper, South Carolina: Joe Sawyer, Dow Hardee, and Hunter Melton
- Ocala Electric Utility, Florida: Tyler Homan, Mathew Brown, and Henry Pearson
- JEA, Florida: Cody Stokes, Caleb Macabitas, Doug Baye, and Adam Holland
Journeyman – 12kV Repair Storm Damage Cross Arm and Insulator Change-Out
- Ocala Electric Utility, Florida: Tyler Homan, Mathew Brown, and Henry Pearson
- Santee Cooper, South Carolina: Sport Rabon, Chandler Strickland, and Mack Johnson
- Santee Cooper, South Carolina: Joe Sawyer, Dow Hardee, and Hunter Melton
Journeyman – Vertical Pin and Insulator Change-Out 4kV
- Santee Cooper, South Carolina: Sport Rabon, Chandler Strickland, and Mack Johnson
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), California: Justin Estes, Tanner Barnes, and Matt Ramey
- City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Florida: Mike Rainey, Justin Batt, and Everado Gonzales
Journeyman – Transformer Change Out
- City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Florida: Blake Burns, Michael Patterson, and Rico Bobbins
- Ocala Electric Utility, Florida: Tyler Homan, Mathew Brown, and Henry Pearson
- City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Florida: Josh Helton, Justin Johnson, and Coy Judd
Journeyman - Hurtman Rescue
- Ponca City Energy, Oklahoma: Tomas Alvarez, Keenan Pappan, and Austin Fry
- City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Florida: Blake Burns, Michael Patterson, and Rico Bobbins
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), California: Garrett McGhehey, Justin Hirschi, and Dwight Johnson