PEC linemen tops at international rodeo
Pedernales Electric Cooperative linemen won 10 awards, including by two employees named the top apprentice linemen in the world, at the International Lineman’s Rodeo in Kansas City, Kansas, on Oct. 15. Courtesy photo
Two of the top apprentice linemen in the world work for the Pedernales Electric Cooperative. And they weren’t the only apprentices and journeymen from PEC who placed in the International Lineman’s Rodeo on Oct. 15 in Kansas City, Kansas.
The PEC team brought home 10 awards competing against more than 240 journeywork teams and over 260 apprentice teams from around the world — the largest number of contestants in the rodeo’s history.
“It can’t be overstated how hard they worked,” said Brian Magott, PEC’s director of Safety and Technical Training. “There were 366 apprentices at this rodeo, and we have the number two and number one in the world out of that number!”
PEC’s Zackery Gough of Cedar Park was first in Overall Apprentice Best-of-the-Best, Apprentice REA (Cooperative) Division, and Apprentice Written Test. Crispen Davis of Canyon Lake finished second in the three competitions.
Other PEC winners were:
- Caleb Brodock, Garrit Afman, and Thomas Logan, all of Canyon Lake, first in Journeyworker Hurtman Rescue and third in REA (Cooperative) Division
- Phillip Stapp of Junction, third in Apprentice REA (Cooperative) Division
- Darren Donhouser, David Hernandez, and Jason Dean, all of Canyon Lake, fifth in Journeyworker Hurtman Rescue.
PEC has competed in the international rodeo since 2010 and has earned a solid reputation worldwide, Magott said.
“Teams now recognize us when we pull up to compete, and they know we’ll be tough to beat.” he said. “And while we’re a large cooperative, we tend to outperform our size at these events.”
The winning teams were recognized during the PEC Board of Directors meeting Oct. 21.
“To watch you compete against the best of the best — y’all carry PEC proud,” said District 3 Director Mark Ekrut, one of several PEC representatives who traveled to the competition to cheer on the linemen.
