Matt Ward completing the Dead-End Bell Change Out
Trico Electric Cooperative hosted the Arizona Lineman’s Rodeo on March 25. This event gathers Apprentice Lineworkers from electric cooperatives, electric districts, and tribal utilities across Arizona to showcase their skills and knowledge in events based on traditional linemen tasks like pole climbing, hurt-man rescue, and cross-arm change out, while promoting safety and camaraderie.
“Being able to come together as a group, compete, and build that relationship with one another helps us want to help each other out when they need our help,” said Jeremy Burnett, Trico Operations Construction Manager.
The rodeo included three individual events, a written test, and two team events. Trico’s apprentices performed very well, taking first place in several events. Conor Garcia won two individual events and Matt Ward finished third overall out of 35 Apprentice Lineworkers from nine state utilities. Sawyer McDonald of Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative (SSVEC) was the overall individual winner. Ward and Scott Neubauer of SSVEC were the top team overall, while Troy Mead of Trico and Marcus Olivares of SSVEC placed second. Teammates are randomly selected from different utilities and at different stages in their apprenticeship.
Garcia, Tyler Russell, and Mead finished first, third, and fifth in the Hurt-Man Rescue event. The purpose of the Hurt-Man Rescue is to demonstrate speed while safely lowering an injured worker (represented by a mannequin), who is unconscious, from the top of the pole.
“For Hurt-Man Rescue, that dummy represents someone on a pole who’s been injured. It’s important to do it fast to get that guy down as fast as possible because every second counts,” said Garcia, who has been with Trico for six years. He started out as a Groundman. This is the last year of his apprenticeship.
Garcia completed the Obstacle Course in 4 minutes and 10 seconds to win the event. The Obstacle Course gives apprentices the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to work efficiently with gloves, move insulators, and perform tasks like leaning out and transferring equipment while maintaining safety and precision.
For the team events, Russell and Davian Franco of Electrical District #3 finished first in the Cross-Arm Change Out. For this event, Lineworkers demonstrated their ability to detach the conductors from the old cross arm, removing the old cross arm from the pole, attaching the new cross arm, and then reattaching the conductors to the new cross arm. Ward and Neubauer won the Dead-End Bell Change Out.
The state rodeo is a great opportunity for Trico’s Apprentice Lineworkers to showcase the skills they’ve learned on the job. We are proud of their hard work and dedication to our Members.