Utility Takes Top Honors in Lineman's Rodeo

The Kaukauna Utilities Rodeo Team consisting of Josh Rohan and Tony Stobbe claimed the title of 2009 Grand Champions of the Fourth Annual Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin (MEUW) Lineman’s Rodeo in Sturgeon Bay, WI on Saturday, September 12, 2009. Second place went to another KU team made of two KU linemen, Neil Jack and Tyler Leick. The rodeo teams from Kaukauna Utilities have been Grand Champions of the State competition 3 out of the last 4 years.

Competing in five events throughout the day, Rohan and Stobbe ended up with a total of 593 points out of a possible 600 and Jack and Leick had 590 out of 600. Judges score the events for proper safety techniques as well as proper utility lineman practices to complete the challenge. The teams participated in a Lineman safety and knowledge test, pole top rescue, dead end insulator change out, 600 amp disconnect change out and a transformer change out while climbing poles. Two-man teams from seven other WI public power utilities were present for the competition.

The opening ceremony consists of a member of each competing team on the pole on staggered sides. The U.S. flag is passed from one to the other and placed on top of the pole throughout the competition.

The 2010 MEUW Lineman’s Rodeo will be hosted by Kaukauna Utilities in the fall of 2010.

MEUW is the state trade association for Wisconsin’s 82 community-owned electric utilities and has represented public power in Wisconsin since 1928.