A local Duke Energy foreman will be competing in The International Lineman’s Rodeo.

Travis Vidal, a line working foreman for Duke Energy, will be competing on a three man team at the rodeo on Oct. 18 in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Vidal is a returning competitor, having been to the event a couple times before.

He and his team will compete in in a hurt man rescue, a pole climb and two mystery events.

Vidal has been in the lineman trade for 22 years and is competitive at heart. He grew up playing sports and loves competition. Vidal earned his spot by competing in regional Duke Energy Rodeo events.

“I like to be competitive in every aspect, even my daily job,” Vidal said. “Even if it’s sweeping the floor up at the building when it’s raining out, I want to be the fastest one doing it and having it the cleanest.”

Each event is a scenario that a lineman would normally find in the field, but there are some tasks that he will have to do that are not common in the daily work of a lineman. For one event, they will have to use hot sticks instead of gloves.

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