Trico’s apprentice lineworkers excel at state rodeo | News

Trico Electric Cooperative’s apprentice lineworkers showed off their winning skills at the annual Arizona Lineman’s Rodeo, hosted by Trico. Conor Garcia won two individual events and Matt Ward finished third overall out of 35 apprentice lineworkers from nine state utilities.

The March 25 event gathered apprentice lineworkers from electric cooperatives and electric districts across Arizona to showcase their skills and knowledge in events based on traditional linemen tasks such as pole climbing, hurt-man rescue and cross-arm change out. All this while promoting safety and camaraderie.

“The 2026 rodeo turned into a great event for the electric cooperatives in the state,” Jeremy Burnett, operations manager at Trico, said.

Other winners include Ward and Scott Neubauer of Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, who were the top team overall, while Troy Mead of Trico and Marcus Olivares of Sulphur placed second. Teammates are randomly selected from different utilities and at different stages in their apprenticeship.

The rodeo included three individual events, a written test and two team events. 

Garcia, Tyler Russell and Mead finished first, third and fifth in the Hurt-Man Rescue event, The matchup demonstrates speed while safely lowering an injured worker, represented by a mannequin, who is unconscious from the top of the pole.

Garcia completed the obstacle course in four minutes and 10 seconds to win the event. This event gives apprentices the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to work efficiently with gloves, move insulators and perform tasks like leaning out and transferring equipment while maintaining safety and precision.

For the team events, Russell and Davian Franco of Electrical District 3 finished first in the Cross-Arm Change Out, while Ward and Neubauer placed second. For this event, lineworkers demonstrated their ability to detach the conductors from the old cross arm, removing the old cross arm from the pole, attaching the new cross arm, and then reattaching the conductors to the new cross arm. Ward and Neubauer also won the Dead-End Bell Change Out.

Of course, no one at Trico is surprised the apprentice lineworkers did so well. 

“The apprentices work hard year round to be ready to showcase their skills for this one event,” Burnett said. “I’m very proud of all the apprentices who participated in this wonderful event for their hard work and determination to compete in hot weather.”

Trico Electric Cooperative hosts the Arizona Lineman’s Rodeo annually. It usually takes place later in the year, but was moved up this year because of the early heat.