WINCHESTER, Ky. (LEX 18) — A rodeo of sorts set up in Clark County, resuming an annual tradition. It’s the 2025 Kentucky Lineman’s Rodeo, featuring more than 100 linemen from 20 electric cooperatives across the state.
The Lineman’s Rodeo is a competition, but it also doubles as a safety training. In fact, safety is the main priority of the event.
“The rodeo is all about safety,” echoed Carol Wright, president and CEO of Jackson Energy Cooperative. “If you don't do it properly, then you're obviously gigged and they take points away and you're not going to win.”
Thursday is the first day of the event, featuring competitions for individuals. The events of the day are called “hurt man,” “line de-energize,” and a skills climb. The events include challenges the linemen may face while out in the field.
For example, the hurt man exercise has the goal of rescuing an injured lineman as quickly – and safely – as possible.
“There is an OSHA standard expectation of time in a real-life scenario,” said Randy Meridith, vice president of safety and training for Kentucky Electric Cooperative. “If a line worker is on a pole and he falls ill, somebody's got to go get him, and it's not going to be the fire department. It's got to be a coworker. It's got to be somebody qualified to climb the pole, go into the energized zone.”
The rodeo is a public event for people to attend and watch. It fulfills annual requirements while also shining a spotlight on the industry.
“I think you'll be surprised, even people tuning in don't realize some of the stuff these men have to do in that small space at the top of those poles,” said Republican Senator Brandon Smith from the 30th District. “It is truly remarkable what they do. Not everybody's cut out to be a lineman.”
Sen. Smith was in attendance to celebrate the energy industry and what it means to his region of the state.
“When we lost the jobs in the coal fields, it wasn't easy to find a replacement. But what's the best part about it is the men can travel, their families can stay in our region,” he said about linemen opportunities. “It's a double win for us – good paying jobs – but it also doesn't create the drain of having more and more people leave eastern Kentucky.”
The open environment at the rodeo makes it so special. Of course, each person has their favorite aspect, and it includes showing off what they truly do.
“I know my wife and my two little boys, they're coming up tomorrow to watch,” Taylor County RECC serviceman Jake Hixson said. “I think it's good that they get to kind of just get a small idea of what we do in a day's time, so it's pretty neat.”
“I enjoy the people and I feel like I get to work with the best people in the world,” said Meredith. “It's like a homecoming every year.”
“My favorite thing is probably getting to have my family with me,” foreman David Dennis with Clark Energy added. “They don't like me to go sometimes, but for them to actually see what I go through on a day to day basis, it means a lot for them to actually see what I do.”
The rodeo was paused in 2024 as Kentucky linemen left the state to join efforts to restore power in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The event has otherwise occurred since its beginning in 2005.
