Linemen from Jackson, TN, EA and Nashville, TN, ES represented the Valley with distinction in APPA’s annual Public Power Lineworker Rodeo, conducted April 27-28 at Raleigh/Wake Forest, NC.
In the Journeyman competition, the Nashville, TN, ES foursome of Tommy Barksdale, Derek Pennington, Jay Shannon and Michael Shannon bested the other 65 teams to win the 4kV Four-Bell Change Out.
Of the 145 apprentices on hand, Jackson EA’s Josh Gabert posted the second-best score on the written test and finished No. 2 overall. Zach Zehner of Jackson EA finished second in the Hurtman Rescue and fifth in the overall Apprentice standings.
“The APPA Rodeo is stiff competition from all over the country,” said TVPPA Training Director Kim Culpepper. “We’re all proud of the jobs Josh, Zach and the guys from NES did.”