MTE Linemen Display Skills at Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo 

MTE team sweeps three of four categories, places second in other 

MTE’s Lineman Rodeo team had a strong performance at the annual Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo in Chattanooga last weekend. The Lineman Rodeo is a two-day competitive event by and for the employees of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) power distributors. The competition recognizes and rewards participants for excellence in safety, skill and knowledge in their field. 

Highlighting the awards were first-place overall titles by Nolan Farris in the Journeyman Lineman Division, Chris Gossett in the Senior Lineman Division, and Dylan Parker in the Apprentice Lineman Division. 

“I’m so proud of all 19 of our linemen who competed and represented MTE and our members in an exceptional way,” CEO Chris Jones said. “It was probably our best-ever showing at the Valley Rodeo for our guys, and that’s saying something.” 

MTE also placed well in the fourth category, the Team Division, where three-person teams compete in event exercises. MTE’s team of Logan Barber, Billy Jack Alexander and Adam Montgomery placed second overall, while the team of Tommy Kirkland, Chase Patterson and Matt Patrick placed fourth. 

Jones added, “I’m especially proud of the apprentice linemen on the team. They all competed and completed their competitions with no deductions. This means they had no safety infractions, which is a great testament to the training and mentoring they’ve received.”

Several individual event exercises comprised each division competition. Here are the placements by MTE team members in those event exercises: 

JOURNEYMAN LINEMAN 

• Hurtman Rescue: Branson Hammrich, second place; Nolan Farris, third place 
• A-6 Poly Bell Change: Nolan Farris, first place; Branson Hammrich, second place; Dusty Miller, third place 
• Jack Jumper: Nolan Farris, first place; Dusty Miller, second place 
• Obstacle Course: Nolan Farris, first place; Dusty Miller, second place 
• In addition to Farris winning overall in the Journeyman Lineman Division, Dusty Miller placed second. 

APPRENTICE LINEMAN 

• Hurtman Rescue: Nathan Robertson, first place; Dylan Parker, second place 
• Jack Jumper: Dylan Parker, third place 
• Cutout Challenge: Caleb Dunsavage, first place; AJ Hamlett, second place 
• A-6 Poly Bell Change: Dylan Parker, first place; Caleb Dunsavage, third place 
• In addition to Parker winning the Apprentice Lineman Division, Gunnar Peas finished fourth. 

TEAM 

• Hurtman Rescue: MTE Team 2, first place 
• Mystery Event: MTE Team 2, first place 
• Tap Change: MTE Team 2, second place; MTE Team 1, fourth place 
• Team 1 (Tommy Kirkland, Chase Patterson, Matt Patrick); Team 2 (Logan Barber, Billy Jack Alexander, Adam Montgomery) 

• SENIOR 

• Hurtman Rescue: Chris Gossett, first place 
• Obstacle Couse: Chris Gossett, first place 
• Cutout Changeout: Chris Gossett, third place