Duke Energy teams received nine awards at the International Lineman’s Rodeo, held on October 18 in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The event brought together approximately 1,200 competitors from around the world to test their skills in job-related tasks that lineworkers perform to maintain and restore electric service.
Duke Energy sent 78 competitors who had previously earned top honors at regional company events earlier this year. Among the recognitions, Tyler Nickols, Joshua Buckner, and Tyler Manick placed third overall in the journeyman category. Keith Griffin, Jay Tipton, and Sandy Barnhill secured first place in the journeyman seniors division.
Other Duke Energy teams placed in various categories. In Journeyman Mystery Event #1 and #2, teams led by Jordan Henderson and William Gandy finished fourth. In the Journeyman IOU (investor-owned utility) category, Nickols, Buckner, and Manick took first place; Henderson’s team placed second; Gandy’s team was fourth. In the Journeyman Seniors category, Griffin’s team was first and another Duke Energy team finished fourth. For overall journeyman results, Nickols’ team took third and Henderson’s group finished fourth.
The International Lineman’s Rodeo has been held for over 40 years and is recognized as a major competition for lineworkers globally. Participants are judged on speed, agility, technique, and safety procedures as they complete tasks that simulate real-world challenges faced during grid maintenance and power restoration.
Scott Batson, executive vice president and chief power grid officer for Duke Energy said: “Our teammates’ commitment to excellence for our customers is evident in the work they have voluntarily put in to compete at the rodeo. Safely ensuring consistency and reliability each day is their priority and ours. Whether or not they walked the stage and won an award at the international event, we couldn’t be prouder of these teams’ hard work.”
Joshua Buckner of Marion, N.C., a journeyman lineworker with Duke Energy stated: “Participating in the International Lineman’s Rodeo means more than just competition – it represents pride in my craft, respect for my brothers and sisters in the trade, and a deep commitment to the communities we serve daily. It’s a chance to showcase the skill, precision and teamwork that define what it means to be a lineman. Placing at the International Lineman’s Rodeo is more than just a trophy; it showcases how we as a team have sharpened our skills to respond to storms and outages in a safe and efficient manner.”
Duke Energy serves about 8.6 million electric customers across six states including Florida. The company also operates natural gas utilities serving 1.7 million customers across five states. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy owns 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity.
The company continues efforts toward grid modernization by investing in workforce training aimed at improving outage response times and maintaining reliability as demand grows.
More information about Duke Energy can be found on its website duke-energy.com or through its social media channels X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
