2025 Lineman’s Rodeo Rewind

With a storm in the forecast for the 41st International Lineman’s Rodeo, the competitors and spectators arrived prepared to navigate the muddy terrain. Instead, the early morning began bright and warm followed by a fog that rolled into the Rodeo grounds, making the competition virtually disappear into a cloud.

For more than four decades, the International Lineman’s Rodeo has given lineworkers the opportunity to compete and their families a way to connect. From the start, it has focused on safety, tradition and the craftmanship of the line trade.

“Safety is important to everyone, and everything about this Rodeo is safety,” said Dale Warman, co-chairman of the International Lineman’s Rodeo Association (ILRA) and one of the founders of the International Lineman’s Rodeo back in 1984. “If you’re a lineman and you’re going to climb in this Rodeo, you’re going to work safe, and when you go back, you’re going to work safe. There are bold linemen and there are old linemen, but there’s no bold old linemen.”

This year, 290 teams and 364 apprentices competed to be the best of the best by engaging in a pole climb, hurtman rescue and mystery events designed to showcase their skills in line work. While the lineworkers were competing in the events, their families were cheering on the sidelines, taking a ride in the bucket truck or participating in the second annual International Kids Lineman Rodeo.

To keep the competitors safe on the Rodeo grounds, the ILRA continued to require full fall protection on all the 40-ft wood poles, a change that was made a few years ago. Michael Stremel, Chief of Safety for the 2025 International Lineman’s Rodeo, said he and his safety committee members were responsible for keeping everyone safe on the Rodeo grounds and responding to incidents if needed.

“I’ve been involved with the Rodeo for a number of years,” said Stremel, who retired from Midwest Energy and now volunteers with the ILRA. “It’s a little foggy and hazy out, but there’s no wind and no rain, and the crews look like they are getting after it.”

Apprentices in Action

As in past years, the apprentice lineworkers competed solo and took their written test at the Overland Park Convention Center the day before the competition. Hunter Walton of Flint Energies swept the apprentice division with 499 event points and a total time of 15:43:00, followed by two PG&E apprentices: Dennis Spars and Austin Prendez.

Walton, who also placed first in the written test event with 99 event points, said he prepared for the International Lineman’s Rodeo by studying the Lineman’s & Cableman’s Handbook every single day.

“I took notes and would go over them anytime I could,” he said. “My coach made questions over the book’s content, which helped even more.”

To practice for the hands-on events, he put in time after work or on his days off to run known events and perform different tasks, which could be part of the mystery events. Flint Energies also gave the competitors working days to dedicate to Rodeo practice, which he said was very helpful. He said his strategies for success were to stay calm and trust the work he put into practice.

“Nerves will get the best of you sometimes, so it’s better to remain calm during pressure situations,” Walton said. “I tried to watch the other competitors who went before me and pick up on tricks that could speed my time up in the event. Although it is important for me to show up and win, I try and remember to have fun. Sometimes I can put too much pressure on myself causing me to get in my head and then it’s a negative impact on my performance.”
Walton said he was honored to achieve such success, especially at the level of the International Lineman’s Rodeo.

“I have been dreaming of walking across that stage and receiving that belt buckle for four years now,” Walton said. “To realize that all my hard work has paid off, and I am able to bring home the trophy to my company and fellow linemen who helped me over the years is very rewarding. However, I am humbled. I truly believe God gave me this opportunity and guided my hands and feet on competition day. I give all the credit and glory to Him.”

On the day of the Rodeo, the apprentices also had to compete in two mystery events, which were unknown to the participants until the International Lineman’s Rodeo Week. During the first mystery event titled, “My Mistake, Wrong Wire,” the apprentices had up to 15 minutes to swap all the connections and hardware simulating the wrong wire was made the phase wire.
The ILRA provided each competitor with a grunt sack, spare bugs, a spare Fargo or one bolt and a throw line. Apprentices could earn two-point deduction for infractions such as not making proper connections, dropping tools or material, making an incorrect bowline knot or failing to attach the grunt sack to the wire or structure. Ryne Syra, an apprentice for CenterPoint Energy, walked away with a victory with a perfect score of 100 event points and a time of 02:29:90.

During the second mystery event, “How low can you go?,” the apprentices had to climb to the neutral, remove the installed wire brush from one side of the pole and brush the other side of the neutral. Jacob Fintelman, an apprentice for Hydro. One Canada, edged out the competition with a score of 100 event points at a time of 00:21:12.

Team Tradition

While the apprentices compete on their own, the journeymen lineworkers must work together in teams of three to complete four events — the pole climb, hurtman rescue and two mystery events. The IBEW Local 47/Southern California Edison team of Fabian Gutierrez, Jose Leon and Fernando Valenzuela placed 13th out of 290 teams. While the team said they practice the skills of the line trade every day, the International Lineman’s Rodeo gives them the opportunity to incorporate everything they’ve learned into the events and have fun doing it.

“We love it,” Guiterrez said. “We start in May and practice day in and day out. We look forward to it every year to try to make it out to the international championships. We try to enjoy every minute of it.”

Like the other journeymen teams, they didn’t know what they would be doing for the mystery events until they arrived in Kansas City for the 2025 Lineman’s Rodeo Week. For this year’s first mystery event, the trios had to untie and replace the downhill side of the double buck crossarm. Supplied with two new PLP double support ties, the teams had up to 13 minutes to complete the event.

While two journeymen scaled the 40-ft pole, the groundman was responsible for raising and lowering the crossarm. By working as a team, they tried to finish the event on time and avoid any infractions such as failure to wear PPE, cutting out on the pole or failing to use the new tie. The overall winning team was the Front Line Power Construction trio of Jerimy Matheny, Michael Luksch and Rodney Greims, who had a perfect score of 100 event points and the fastest time of 04:03:50.

For the second mystery event, “Flashed Bells Changeout,” both climbers had to work as a team to apply the required cover, install a crossarm link stick and change out the bells. Because it was a simulated energized 4 kV event, they had to wear Class 2 rubber gloves and use other protective cover such as three hoses and one split and one solid blanket. To change out both poly bells, they were provided with a Chance Ribbon hoist, Klein grip, Poly Bells and Crossarm Link Stick.

Duke Energy’s International Lineman’s Rodeo competitors, who could not attend in 2024 due to back-to-back hurricanes, finished strong in the journeyman division at the 2025 Rodeo. Case in point: the Duke Energy team of Tyler Manick, Joshua Buckner and Tyler Nickols, finished first in not only this event, but also in the entire IOU division with a total time of 13:03:44. With 400 total event points, this team also came in third overall in the journeymen best of the best category.

Duke Energy’s journeyman team of Jay Tipton, Keith Griffin and Sandy Barnhill, who were featured on the T&D World Line Life Podcast after the last time they won the senior division, won it again in 2025 with the time of 18:33:93.

Top Rodeo Champions

The competition may have grown to hit its highest numbers yet, but the events still started on time and wrapped up ahead of schedule. Before the winners were honored on stage, Dennis Kerr, scholarship chair for the ILRA recognized the scholarship winners and a new annual $10,000 scholarship for an aspiring lineworker in honor of Warman for his dedication to the International Lineman’s Rodeo. Stremel and Doug Fllck also recognized the winner of their fourth annual gun raffle, which benefits the ILRA scholarship fund to support students in technical training programs for the line trade.

In addition, the International Lineman’s Hall of Fame honored the inductees for 2024: Andy Batty, owner of Buckingham Manufacturing; Mike Benton of Georgia EMC; George Brooks, former president of IBEW Local 77 and owner of Brooks Hooks; Danny Raines of Raines Utility Safety Solutions; Melvin Tipsord, founder of Tips Tools; and Willie Warren of PG&E.

During the annual awards banquet, the ILRA also revealed the total donation amount of $83,484 for the 2025 Climbin4kids fundraiser, which benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Next, the Missouri Valley JATC brought the top winners of its second annual Lineman’s Kids Rodeo up on stage. The organizers awarded championship belts to Adda Thomas in the 1st Step Apprentice (ages 8 to 10) category; Logan Meyers in the Future Lineman (ages 11-13) category and Parker Schleiden for Fastest Overall Aerial Rescue.

After the future lineworkers were honored, the announcer moved the spotlight to the adult competitors. Following the day of competition, the apprentices and journeyman lineworkers donned everything from flannels and jeans to cowboy hats and boots and matching two-piece suits for their stroll on the red carpet and across the awards stage. As their names and companies flashed across the screen, their families, friends, teammates and colleagues roared in the crowd to show support and celebrate their victory.

The journeyman team from Sturgeon Electric/IBEW Local 47 of Dan Jameson, Enoc Verdin and Joe Maynes were honored on stage at the end of the awards banquet as the champions of the 2025 International Lineman’s Rodeo with 400 total event points and a time of 12:19:39. This team also climbed to the top of the Contractor Division ahead of 50 other journeyman teams.

During the awards presentation, Kerr congratulated all the competitors and the winners of the 41st International Lineman’s Rodeo, which was the biggest event in its history.

“We put together a great event, the grounds were perfection and everyone had a great time,” he said.

Editor’s Note: For more 2025 International Lineman’s Rodeo coverage, stay tuned to the Line Life Podcast at linelife.podbean.com and check out videos, photo galleries, stories and more at tdworld.com/electric-utility-operations.