Top o’ the line
Utility line crews put spikes, skills to the test
Saturday, June 16, 2012
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Bennett Kershner, 4 1/2, of Wenatchee gives pole climbing a try with the help of Grant County PUD lineman Larry Becht at the 8th annual Andrew York Lineman Rodeo at Walla Walla Point Park on Saturday.
WENATCHEE — Maybe it was the record number of teams. Or the prospect of buying a raffle ticket from a woman dressed as a gigantic duck. Or the Columbia River running cold, fast and symbolic in the background.
But Saturday’s 8th Annual Andrew York Lineman Rodeo was more super-charged than ever.
“I didn’t think it would get this big, at least not this quickly,” event co-organizer Daryn Klinginsmith said Saturday as he surveyed the action at Walla Walla Point Park.
A record 28 teams — nearly double last year’s 17 — traveled from around the state, as well as Oregon, Arizona and Utah to test their spikes and skills.
Winners took home belt buckles, bronze statues and bragging rights.
The rodeo honors Chelan PUD journeyman lineman Andrew York, who died in 2000 from injuries suffered on the job when he was hit by a drunken driver.
The event is a fundraiser for a like-named scholarship fund that awards high school students who work to prevent drug and alcohol abuse.
Klinginsmith says that by 2014, the rodeo’s 10th year, the scholarship fund should contain $100,000, held and invested by the Community Foundation of North Central Washington, to award scholarships in perpetuity.
The PUDs of Chelan, Grant, Douglas, Okanogan and Ferry counties host the event, along with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 77.
Top five finishers
Teams
1. Arizona Public Service: Jason Houle, Toby Claude, Travis Conner
2. Grant County PUD: Ryan Bingham, Kurt Meyers, Wayne Black.
3. Portland General Electric: Ryan Hagel, Joshua Welle, Jason Hiatt.
4. IBEW Local 57 (Utah): Russell Jansen, Jason Lusty, Randy Legault.
5. Grant County PUD: Edward Olson, Josh Burnside, Jeff Charpentier.
Apprentices
1. Tacoma Power: Chris Cournyer
2. Ferry County PUD: Todd Orestad
3. Consumers Power (Philomath, Ore.): Shawn Foultner
4. Seattle City Light: Evan Hufford
5. Grant County PUD: Ryan Davis
Click here for the complete list of rodeo results.
Christine Pratt: 665-1173
pratt@wenatcheeworld.com
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team2012 11 months ago
This was the first time our family visited the Andrew York Lineman Rodeo. We understand the entrant number doubled over last year, which is an impressive increase for an event this size. We enjoyed watching the skill and speed of the lineman from all over the country. Also enjoyable was the fact that several linemen from out of town were happy to provide us with answers to our questions...they talked freely with us about how they were enjoying the competition and our community. They think it is beautiful here and will return next year. The team from AZ flew here but there were 2 guys who had to drive pulling a trailer with all their tools and gear. It is quite an effort they have to go to for each one of the 5 national competitions they enter each year. Dennis Boltz, PUD Commissioner, also stopped to share his experience and stories of our CC PUD linemen. We walked away with a greater level of respect for the lineman job and what they put at risk to keep us safe and warm/cool. We have a lot to be proud of in our PUD systems. Thanks to the great committee who put this growing event on. We highly recommend this event for the entire family...these people are true athletes with a serious purpose.
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