CREWE, Va –With co-workers, family and friends cheering them on, Southside Electric Cooperative employees participated in the equipment operator, lineman, apprentice and grilling competitions at the 16th annual Gaff-N-Go Lineman’s & Equipment Operator’s Rodeo & Vendor Expo at Meadow Event Park in Doswell on May 11-12. Several other employees judged competitors on their skills and safety.

In the equipment operator’s competition, the team of Will Southworth, Brandon Rust and Ed Bethel finished second overall out of 23 teams. The team of Delbert Orsborne, Donnell Taylor and Bryan Mills III finished eighth. Jared Mayton, Brandon Senger and Daniel Boney also competed in the event. Frank Miskovic, Grayson Crawford, Zac Tingler, Caleb Crowder and Jamall Walker competed in the apprentice events.

Two SEC teams participated in the journeyman lineman’s events. The team of Brad Ashwell, Blake Poindexter and Ashley Tuck picked up two event awards by placing second in the hurt man competition and third in the climbing skills demonstration. Overall, the team finished eighth out of 25 groups. Will Southworth, Brandon Rust and Ed Bethel also competed.

This year’s Gaff-N-Go included competitors from more than 15 cooperatives and companies from several states, including Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, South Carolina and California.

“The Hawg Hangers” – John Keys, Jake Barringer and Jason Merricks – took second in the Gaff-N-Grill competition out of 11 teams. Also grilling were Scott Wallace, Cole Owen, Brandon Redford, Mike Spencer, Mike Southall, Jeremy Warden, Scott Diggs and Jason Hinebaugh. SEC’s Gary Gibbs, Darryl Dinwiddie, Steve Higgins, Matt Reed, Josh Wells and Ian Hix were judges of the various competitions.

Photo caption: Southside Electric Cooperative’s lineman team placed second in the hurt man competition and third in the climbing skills demonstration at the 16th Annual Gaff-n-Go Lineman’s Rodeo. Pictured (L-R) are Ashley Tuck, Blake Poindexter and Brad Ashwell.

For event results and photos from this year’s Gaff-N-Go, visit www.gaff-n-go.com.

Southside Electric Cooperative (SEC) is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative that serves over 55,000 homes and businesses in portions of 18 counties in central and southern Virginia.  Headquartered in Crewe, SEC has district offices in Altavista, Crewe, Dinwiddie and Powhatan. For more information, visit www.sec.coop.

Contact:

Ronald O.White
V.P., Member & PublicRelations
Ron.White@sec.coop | (434) 645-3211