As the old saying goes: This was not your Tipmont linemen’s first rodeo.
In fact, your cooperative’s crew is composed of perennial favorites to place high in this annual skills-and-safety competition. That’s just what they did once again – including top prizes for a Mystery Event and Overall Individual Apprentice at the 2024 Indiana Electric Cooperatives Lineman Rodeo on Aug. 22 and 23 at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, Indiana.
This showcase of on-the-job skills and safe operations featured competitors from electric cooperatives across Indiana. The rodeo simulated real-world scenarios like rescuing an injured lineman from atop an electric pole, line restoration, and hardware installation / removal. As they would on poles inaccessible from Tipmont bucket trucks, the linemen used harnesses around their waists and spiked gaffs strapped to their legs. Events were held for both individuals and linemen collaborating together as a team.
Participating linemen from Tipmont included Matt Bassett, Bo Bouwkamp, Shafer Cox, Mason Daugherty, Devin Head, Tristen Hoffman, Dusty Manns and Bobby Taylor, Jr. In addition, Tipmont lineman Matt Lowe served as a judge for the competition.
The Tipmont team of Bassett, Bouwkamps and Manns took fifth place in Overall Team among the competitors.
“The three of us have worked together as a team now for years, so we know and understand each other, and we discuss everyone’s job before we even get to the event,” Bassett said.
“We just hit that sweet spot where things were going right for us, and our work was smooth,” Manns said.
Additionally, the team of Daugherty, Hoffman and Taylor, Jr. took third place in the team hurt-man event.
“While we were doing the event, everything went flawlessly,” said Daugherty, who made his debut on the Tipmont team at this year’s rodeo. “We had great communication, and everyone was on the same page.”
Daugherty added that Hoffman and Manns offered him good advice on what to do and what to expect.
“They said you just have to show what you know, be smooth and fast, have the right steps in your head and just follow through with that,” Daugherty said. “It’s also good practice for when you’re in the field and have to do those jobs.”
In the Individual Apprentice division, Hoffman followed up his stellar 2023 lineman rodeo debut with one second-place finish and three first-place finishes — including first place for Overall Individual Apprentice.
“The muscle memory kicked in this year, along with having more time to process everything,” said Hoffman, who took first place in knot-tying and hurt-man rescue events, and second place in individual skill.
Tipmont brought home even more hardware from the Individual Apprentice hurt-man rescue event, as Manns took second place. Meanwhile, in the Individual Journeyman division, Bouwkamp took third place in the individual hurt-man rescue event.
Hoffman and Manns also competed against nearly 400 other linemen in October in the 40th annual International Lineman’s Rodeo in Overland Park, Kansas.
In that competition, Hoffman placed third in a mystery event, unknown until the day of competition, which was an obstacle pole and preform replacement. Overall, Hoffman finished 28th out of all cooperative linemen competing at the event.
Meanwhile, Manns finished in the top 10 of cooperative linemen competing at the international event, finishing ninth overall.
“I love the competition and seeing everyone from other co-ops,” Hoffman said. “That’s how you build a relationship. Someday you might end up helping them out and working a storm with them. It’s a big brotherhood at the end of the day.”
“If someone has a question about how we’re going to do an event, we tell them,” Bassett says. “There are no secrets because in the end, it all amounts to stronger, safer work being performed for co-op members.”
Please join us in congratulating our Tipmont linemen on their outstanding performances! We also celebrate their commitment to keeping you safe and comfortable.
