Contact: NOVEC Public Relations, 1-888-335-0500, customerservice@novec.com
No other linemen beat their ‘Spiderman’ climbing skills
MANASSAS, Va. — Linemen from Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative were among those earning top honors at the 14th Annual Gaff-n-Go Lineman’s Rodeo on June 4 at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia. NOVEC’s linemen competed alongside 115 other linemen from 14 electric utilities in six states.
The Gaff-n-Go Lineman’s Rodeo features journeyman teams and individual apprentice linemen who perform required skills atop 40-foot utility poles. Judges score the competitors on how quickly they can complete each task correctly and safely. The Gaff-n-Go gets its name from the gaff — or metal spike — that linemen attach to their boots to assist in climbing wooden utility poles.
NOVEC’s journeyman team of Jesse Taylor, Justin Bettis, and Nicholas Reckmeyer placed first in the Climbing Skills and Hurt Man Rescue events, and third in the Recloser Change-Out event.
NOVEC’s apprentices swept the Climbing Skills event with Kyle Sarvis placing first, Robert Studds second, and Anthony Kestner third. Justin Timbers placed in the top 10. Kyle Sarvis also placed first in the Hurt Man Rescue event, followed closely by teammate Chris Perry.
“We noticed how the NOVEC apprentices did consistently well in the climbing events,” said Mary Howell, member relations manager for the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, sponsor of the rodeo. “I’m not sure if Kyle shared his Spiderman skills with his co-workers, but it’s impressive to see the teamwork and obvious camaraderie of your co-op’s linemen. They were great ambassadors.”
Howell said teamwork was also obvious among all of the other NOVEC employees who participated, including Eric Depukat, Matt Grenke, Roy Robinson, Eric Stewart, Norman Tapp, Mark Windsor, Lori Spence and Marc Schiller, who served as judges.
“We’re proud of our Gaff-n-Go champions and all of our line technicians,” NOVEC President & CEO Stan Feuerberg said. “These men often work in terrible weather conditions to restore power when outages occur. They must be mentally sharp and physically tough to work around energized lines. Despite the dangers they encounter, NOVEC’s linemen have an outstanding safety record.”
