Electric linemen from Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative took top honors at the 13th Annual Gaff-n-Go Lineman’s Rodeo, March 28, at Caroline County Agricultural Fairgrounds near Ruther Glen, Va. NOVEC’s linemen competed with more than 150 other linemen from 14 electric utilities in seven states.
The Gaff-n-Go Lineman’s Rodeo features three-man journeyman teams and individual apprentice linemen who perform a variety of required skills atop 40-foot utility poles. Judges score the competitors on how quickly they can complete each task correctly and safely. The Gaff-n-Go gets its name from the gaff — or metal spike — that linemen attach to their boots to assist in climbing wooden utility poles.
NOVEC’s journeyman team of Sam Morgan, Justin Bettis, and Jesse Taylor placed first out of 30 teams to take home the coveted C.T. Bryant Award. The trio also earned the Jimmy Gardener Award, named for a pioneering Virginia lineman and given to the top-placing team among members of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives.
NOVEC’s apprentices swept their division’s Climbing Skills event with Kyle Sarvis placing first, Billy Cruse placing second, and Chris Perry placing third. Sarvis, Perry, and Emmanuel Marfoplaced in the top ten in the Hurt Man Rescue event. By winning three events, Sarvis placed third overall among 55 apprentices in the five-event competition.
“We’re proud of our Gaff-n-Go champions, and of all of our line technicians,” said NOVEC President/CEO Stan Feuerberg. “These are incredibly dedicated men who often work in the worst possible weather conditions to restore power when outages occur. Their jobs are physically demanding. Line work requires mental toughness, in addition to physical strength. Working around energized lines can be extremely dangerous, so linemen must be able to concentrate on the task, even when confronted with rain, ice, snow, frigid or stifling temperatures. Despite all of those challenges, NOVEC’s line techs have an outstanding safety record.”
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