MTE linemen excel at the Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo

Middle Tennessee Electric’s (MTE) Lineman Rodeo Team took home 17 awards at the annual Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo held at Williamson Family Farm in Murfreesboro last weekend, May 30-31. The Lineman Rodeo is a two-day competition held by and for the employees of Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) power distributors. The event recognizes and rewards participants for excellence in safety, skill and knowledge in their field.  

MTE hosted this year’s festivities, and the event was planned and executed by MTE employees. The Lineman Rodeo Golf Tournament was held ahead of the main event on Thursday, May 29, and MTE employees raised $6,865 for Line Brother’s Keeper. This local organization assists fallen and injured lineworkers and their families during times of hardship. 

Highlights of the Lineman Rodeo awards were second-place overall titles by Branson Hammrich in the Journeyman Lineman Division and Mike Diggs in the Senior Lineman Division.  

“It’s always an honor for my teammates to participate in the Lineman Rodeo, and hosting the event in Murfreesboro this year made it even more special,” CEO Chris Jones said. “Many people worked behind the scenes to make this a great event, not only for lineworkers and those competing but also for the Murfreesboro community.” 

MTE also placed well in the Team Division, where three-person teams compete in timed events that showcase the skills lineworkers use daily in their jobs. MTE’s team of Billy Jack Alexander, Nolan Farris and Adam Montgomery placed third overall, while the team of AJ Hamlet, Dylan Parker and Matt Patrick placed fifth. 

Jones added, “[Lineworkers] are incredible first responders. Sometimes people forget that. It’s always exciting to watch them display the immense skill their craft takes at the rodeo.” 

The annual competition is divided into categories based on the lineworkers’ experience levels. This year, there were nearly 250 competitors. Here are the placements by MTE team members in the individual and team event exercises: 

JOURNEYMAN LINEMAN 

• Overall: Branson Hammrich, second place; Manny Bibian, third place 
• Hurtman Rescue: Branson Hammrich, third place 
• Cross-Arm Cut-Out Relocation: Branson Hammrich, third place 

APPRENTICE LINEMAN 

• Fused Cut-Out Relocation: Preston Campbell, first place 
• Hurtman Rescue: Nathan Robertson, second place 
• Apprentice Overall: Tyler McClendon, fourth place 

TEAM 

• Team 8: Billy Alexander, Nolan Farris and Adam Montgomery  
  • Relay Challenge – First place 
  • Hurtman Rescue – Second place  
  • Overall – Third place  
• Team 13: AJ Hamlet, Dylan Parker and Matt Patrick 
  • Overall – Fifth place 

SENIOR 

• Overall: Mike Diggs, second place 
• Hurtman Rescue: Mike Diggs, second place 
• Fused Cut-Out Relocation: Chris Gossett, first place; Mike Diggs, second place  
• Tie Event: Chris Gossett, second place; Mike Diggs, third place