Over the last four decades, lineworkers and their families have come together to celebrate the line trade at the International Lineman’s Rodeo.
If lineworkers could snag a time machine, they could set it to September 1984 at the Manhattan Vocational Technical College in Manhattan, Kansas — the date of the very first International Lineman’s Rodeo. On that day, a dozen teams of journeyman lineworkers from four utilities in Kansas and Missouri blazed the trail to an annual tradition.
Last year, the number of competitors skyrocketed to 440 apprentices and 292 journeymen teams compared to 36 journeymen lineworkers in 1984. While the event has experienced explosive growth, its mission has remained the same — to showcase safety in the line trade and educate the public about what lineworkers do to power their communities.
As the event is heading into its 40th year, it’s a great milestone to celebrate, says Dennis Kerr, who retired from DTE Energy and is now the co-chairman of the International Lineman’s Rodeo Association (ILRA). He says overall, the International Lineman’s Rodeo is an opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones. He enjoys seeing all the competitors line up to get their packets, joining lineworkers and their families for the Lineman’s BBQ the day before the competition and announcing the scholarship award winners.
“This event brings the whole brotherhood and sisterhood together for a great competition,” Kerr says. “It demonstrates how an event like this run by all volunteers to make it a family event for everyone to enjoy, have fun, be challenged on events and promote the line trade.”
Kerr says the event has grown because every year, the best of the best in the world is competing at a very high level and it is promoting the skills and safety of lineworkers.
“Every lineworker who competes wants to be the best of the best for this competition,” Kerr says. “Every year, we see the camaraderie that has developed and the joys of seeing each other compete, plus a learning experience to watch some different ways of accomplishing an event.”
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