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Lafayette, Louisiana, April 8 — Thirteen journeyman teams and 12 individual apprentices won awards at the American Public Power Association’s twenty-second annual Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo, held April 5-6, in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Sixty-four journeyman teams and 134 apprentices competed. Fifty-seven 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.
“Seeing public power lineworkers from all across the country competing at this event is inspiring,” said Scott Corwin, APPA president & CEO. “The competition is intense, but—in the end—everyone wins when it comes to practicing safety, building skills, and celebrating the craft of linework.”
Lafayette Utilities System 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.
2024 PUBLIC POWER LINEWORKERS RODEO WINNERS
Apprentice - Overall
- Ryan Kornegay, JEA, Florida
- Dustin Zorn, Lakeland Electric, Lakeland, Florida
- Dalton Gowdy, City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Tallahassee, Florida
- Thomas Steverson, City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Tallahassee, Florida
- Zan Habetz, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, Louisiana
Apprentice – Alley Arm Insulator Change Out
- Anthony Thomas, Lakeland Electric, Lakeland, Florida
- Zan Habetz, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, Louisiana
- Dalton Gowdy, City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Tallahassee, Florida
Apprentice – Hurtman Rescue
- Ryan Kornegay, JEA, Jacksonville, Florida
- Hunter Thomas, JEA, Jacksonville, Florida
- Zan Habetz, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, Louisiana
Apprentice – Single Phase Angle Bell Replacement
- Zan Habetz, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, Louisiana
- Anthony Celestine, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, Louisiana
- Connor Gary, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, Louisiana
Apprentice – Single Phase Conductor Tie In with Armor Rods
- Hunter Dugas, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, Louisiana
- Connor Gary, Lafayette Utilities System, Lafayette, Louisiana
- Dustin Zorn, Lakeland Electric, Lakeland, Florida
Apprentice - Written Test
- Turner Korth, Nebraska Public Power District, Columbus, Nebraska
- Evan Celusta, CDE Lightband, Clarksville, Tennessee
- Thomas Steverson, City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Tallahassee, Florida
Journeyman - Overall
- JEA, Jacksonville, Florida: David Hicken, Caleb Macabitas, & Cody Stokes
- City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Tallahassee, Florida: Rico Bobbins, Blake Burns, & Michael Patterson
- Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, South Carolina: Mackenzie Johnson, Sport Rabon, & Chandler Strickland
- Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, Alabama: Cole Border, Colby Lipham, & Adam Thomas
- Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida: Evan Englert, Austin Houk, & Nelson Rodriguez
Journeyman – 12kV Single Phase Deadend Transfer
- Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, South Carolina: Mackenzie Johnson, Sport Rabon, & Chandler Strickland
- JEA, Jacksonville, Florida: David Hicken, Caleb Macabitas, & Cody Stokes
- Nashville Electric Service, Nashville, Tennessee: Jonathan Harris, Derek Pennington, & Michael Shannon
Journeyman – 200 Amp Swollen Elbow Repair
- Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, Alabama: Andrew Brown, Matthew Hubbard, & Ronny Mullins
- Huntsville Utilities, Huntsville, Alabama: Cole Border, Colby Lipham, & Adam Thomas
- Orlando Utilities Commission, Orlando, Florida: Frank Akkerman, Brendan Laflamme, & Shane Paras
Journeyman – 4kV Alley Arm Insulator Change Out
- JEA, Jacksonville, Florida: David Hicken, Caleb Macabitas, & Cody Stokes
- Beaches Energy Services, Jacksonville Beach, Florida: Logan Cox, Nick Currie, & Cory Haag
- Roseville Electric, Roseville, California: Kyle Giesser, Phillip Hartnett, & James Wolter
Journeyman – Hurtman Rescue
- Beaches Energy Services, Jacksonville Beach, Florida: Logan Cox, Nick Currie, & Cory Haag
- Ponca City Energy, Ponca City, Oklahoma: Tomas Alvarez, Chris Crain, & Austin Fry
- City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Tallahassee, Florida: Keith Burns, Jordan Reddick, & Lance Rivenbark
Journeyman – 12kV 900 Amp Switch Change Out
- City of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Tallahassee, Florida: Rico Bobbins, Blake Burns, & Michael Patterson
- Santee Cooper, Moncks Corner, South Carolina: Mackenzie Johnson, Sport Rabon, & Chandler Strickland
- Lakeland Electric, Lakeland, Florida: Bobby Barrows, Austin Carr, & Clark Grenfell
Complete 2024 anonymized results: Apprentice | Journeyman