PG&E Line Workers Place Among ‘Best of the Best’ at 39th International Lineman’s Rodeo

BONNER SPRINGS, Kan. — PG&E line workers from Auburn, Merced, Grass Valley, San Carlos, Lemoore, Bakersfield, Oakdale and Fresno placed among the top finishers at the International Lineman’s Rodeo in Bonner Springs, Kan., on Saturday.

The international rodeo was the largest in its 39-year history with approximately 1,400 competitors from utilities in North America and beyond.

“You saw the best of the best in the world compete today,” said Dennis Kerr, co-chairman of the International Lineman’s Rodeo.

The International Lineman’s Rodeo offers a unique opportunity PG&E and IBEW 1245 crews to show how their skills stack up against the most skilled line workers from across North America.

“You can see the professionalism, the ownership of their trade, the pride of their trade,” said Janisse Quiñones, PG&E’s senior vice president of Electric Operations, who attended the event.

The fast-paced event featured the most skilled line workers from throughout North America competing in numerous events, including a pole climb, the hurt-man rescue (simulating the rescue of an injured worker atop a utility pole) as well as mystery events.

There were nearly 300, three-person journeyman teams and more than 450 apprentices taking part in the event from across North America and as far way as Brazil.

Together with IBEW 1245 PG&E sponsored seven journeyman teams and six apprentices. They were joined by coworkers and family members who volunteered to support the event as judges, coaches, organizers and audience members.   

“It’s a great community to be part of and it makes me like my career even more,” said Alex Clardy, a Stockton-based apprentice lineman competitor. “This is just one big family out here.”

In addition to the competition, PG&E Rodeo Committee Chairman Sid Silva presented a $107,242 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The event was held at the National Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Results from PG&E/IBEW 1245 participants:

• The journeyman team of Anthony Albright of Auburn, Adam Beene of Merced and JP Richard of Grass Valley finished fourth among Top Overall Journeyman out of approximately 300 teams.
• The team also finished second among investor-owned utilities along with the team of Jacob Hunt of Lemoore, David Angove of San Carlos and Brandon Gloria, which finished fourth.
• The Hunt, Angove and Gloria team also finished first in the journeyman pole climb event and the team of Francisco Flores and Dustin Curry of Oakdale and Brandon Dance of Stockton finished fifth in that event.
• The team of Jordan Chene and Stephen Koenig of Bakersfield and Logan Bentley Schaffer of Oakdale finished second in the journeyman mystery event.
• Among the more than 450 apprentices, Cody Jackson of Bakersfield finished fifth in the overall standings, Sam Peck of Fresno finished fourth in apprentice hurt man rescue and Jonathon Pacheco of Merced finished fifth in the apprentice written test.