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PEC earned five first-place trophies at the 14th annual Texas Lineman’s Rodeo, which was held in Seguin on Saturday, July 17.

"Nineteen of our apprentices and two journeyman teams entered the rodeo with the desire to work safely, be competitive and finish every event, leaving it all on the competition field," said PEC Canyon Lake District Manager Bob DiFonzo. "Every lineman accomplished most of what he set out to do, but at the end of the day, three linemen were able to walk the stage, and two of them did it twice. These apprentices are best of class competing against 85 other apprentice linemen."

Brandon Dance, representing PEC’s Canyon Lake District, took first place in both the hurtman rescue and the pole-climbing events. Mark Moreno, also of the Canyon Lake District, won first place in the rope event. Eric Bitzko, of PEC’s Kyle District, placed first in both the secondary URD installation and the overhead secondary service installation events.

Twenty-five linemen from PEC were among the 160-plus apprentice and journeyman linemen from across the state who competed in the rodeo. They were judged on safety, technique and speed, emulating their daily work in a profession in which a mistake can lead to critical injury or death. While racing against the clock and following safety rules, the linemen competed in events such as tool inspection and hurtman rescue, which is the simulated rescue of an injured co-worker from a 40-foot-high power pole.

This was PEC’s first year to enter the Lineman’s Rodeo, which gives spectators a chance to see the complex tasks associated with linework and builds camaraderie among linemen.

PEC Safety Instructor Robby Lewis, a former lineman, said the event showcases the critical skills that PEC’s linemen bring to the job every day. "The fact that PEC won five first-place awards is a testament to the skill and expertise that our linemen use to keep our members’ lights on. It’s a complicated job that few people understand, and this competition gives our linemen a chance to compete and to demonstrate their skills in a safe environment," he said. "Safety is job one, whether we’re doing our jobs in the field or competing in the Lineman’s Rodeo."

The PEC linemen who participated in the event were Amos Baker, Bo Barrow, Eric Bitzko, Tony Boone, Mike Brock, D.J. Cagle, Sam Castro, Brandon Coleman, Brandon Dance, Chris Holt, Matt Howell, Andrew Kniffin, Ryan Krause, A.J. Mann, Mark Moreno, Derek Morgan, Joab Moritz, Andy Ridge, Jason Schilling, Mark Scott, Layne Simpson, Dennis Thompson, Julio Vega, Carl Williams and Chuck Wooldridge.

Nine PEC employees volunteered to serve as judges at the event: Tom Dahlstrom, Ira Hickman, Donnie Liesmann, Gary Massey, Ed Ramsey, Brian Sherwood, James Vasquez, Ronnie Waterman and Kerry White.

The Texas Lineman’s Rodeo Association, which hosts the rodeo, is a nonprofit organization that was created to offer Texas lineworkers a way to demonstrate their pride in the profession of high-voltage linework. The Texas Lineman’s Rodeo gives them a venue to showcase their skills and expertise in a family-oriented, fun and competitive environment. For more information about the association and the 2010 rodeo results, visit www.TLRA.org. For more information about PEC, visit www.pec.coop or call 1-888-554-4732.