Held May 10-11 at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Va., the 17th Annual Gaff-n-Go Lineman’s & Equipment Operator’s Rodeo attracted hundreds of co-op friends, family members and spectators who watched more than 150 line workers from six states ply their trade in a friendly yet competitive environment.

Fifteen Southside Electric Cooperative (SEC) personnel competed in the event. The co-op had two equipment operator teams – Bryan Mills, Donnell Taylor and Cheston Bowlin, and Jared Mayton, Brandon Senger and Delbert Orsborne.

The journeyman lineman rodeo team of Will Southworth, Ashley Tuck and Blake Poindexter also represented SEC. Competing apprentices were Adam Weaver, Caleb Crowder, Branden Hinton, Grayson Crawford, Frank Miskovic and Tyler Parrish. SEC’s Ross Russell, Darryl Dinwiddie, Ian Hix and Joshua Wells served as judges for the competitions.

The Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC) hosted the event, which was sponsored by TEREX in partnership with NESCO Specialty Rentals.

“The Gaff-N-Go rodeo offers our personnel a platform to showcase their talents while building relationships. We all want to be competitive. However, we cheer for our rodeo opponents too. We know that when the need arises, each company can depend on the other to respond with assistance,” said Brad Furr, SEC Vice President of Operations.

Friday’s equipment operator’s rodeo tested each three-member team’s ability to maneuver trucks and equipment used in electric distribution systems.

Mayton, Senger and Orsborne finished second in the Digger Derrick Obstacle event and second overall team winners in the Equipment Operator’s Rodeo.

Southside Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative that serves more than 56,000 homes and businesses 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.