Duke Energy Florida Lineworkers Take Home Top Awards at 2025 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo
The air was electric and the energy was tangible at the 2025 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo on Saturday, March 8, when 15 Duke Energy Florida lineworkers took home top awards, earning the opportunity to compete in one of the most prominent and celebrated lineworker events in the world – the International Lineman’s Rodeo – this fall.
Lineman’s rodeos showcase the skills and abilities of electrical lineworkers and involve various challenges that test proficiency in job-related tasks, such as climbing poles, repairing equipment and performing rescue operations, while also promoting safety, camaraderie and teamwork. Categories scored include pole climbs, equipment repair and “hurt man” rescues.
Winners from the Florida Lineman’s Rodeo--all lineworkers who supported response and restoration efforts following hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton--will now advance to the acclaimed International Lineman’s Rodeo in Bonner Springs, Kan., on Oct. 18, 2025, and compete alongside elite lineworkers from around the world. Duke Energy holds three regional lineman’s rodeos each spring (in the Carolinas, Florida and the Midwest) to qualify lineworkers for this international competition.
“We put complete trust in our lineworkers to perform challenging, highly skilled work and provide the energy we all rely on, all while keeping safety for both our customers and each other as the top priority,” said Jason Williams, Duke Energy Florida’s senior vice president of power grid operations. “While we’re always proud of our line teams, their resoluteness to compete in the rodeo this year, after the significant impacts of hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton last fall, is an affirmation of how strongly committed they are to our customers and the communities we serve.”
The 2025 Florida Lineman’s Rodeo winners are as follows:
Apprentice Overall Awards
- First Place – Corey Sill (Ocala)
- Second Place – Alejandro Guillen (St. Petersburg)
- Third Place – Brent Griswold (Apopka)
Journeyman Overall Awards
- First Place – Dalton Adams (Southeast Orange), Vincent Lombardo (Apopka), Roger McBride (Jamestown)
- Second Place – Bobby Akos, Chris Clark, Russel Goodhead (Jamestown)
- Third Place – Scott Morgan, Joey Quimby, RJ Rampi (Southeast Orange)
Journeyman Senior Overall Awards
- First Place – Chet Braden (Walsingham), Ed Filor (Inverness), Henry Shupe (Seven Springs)
In 2023, 60 Duke Energy lineworkers competed at the International Lineman’s Rodeo and took home four awards. Duke Energy participation in the 2024 International Lineman’s Rodeo was limited due to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton response and restoration. Held annually in Bonner Springs, Kan., the International Lineman’s Rodeo is steeped in camaraderie and tradition and has connected lineworkers worldwide through competition for more than 40 years.
This year, the Florida Lineman’s Rodeo was supported by company and community volunteers, including 12 Duke Energy volunteers, 35 volunteer students and staff from five community colleges, 81 judges and five bucket truck operators.
Protectors of the Power Grid
From population growth to the expansion of manufacturing and other major economic development, the regions that Duke Energy serves are growing rapidly, and the company’s increasingly modern and resilient grid is evolving to meet current and future energy needs. Duke Energy’s trusted lineworkers play a critical role in maintaining and enhancing the energy grid now and in the future.
“Beyond battling extreme weather, the valuable work our line teams do every day is enabling Duke Energy to build a grid that is smarter, stronger and more reliable,” said Jason Williams, Duke Energy Florida’s senior vice president of power grid operations. “It’s through their efforts that we’re able to safely and efficiently deliver power and better serve our customers.”
Elevated Expertise
As Duke Energy continues to develop its workforce to meet surging energy demands, there is also increasing demand for skilled workers, available jobs and opportunities for advancement. Hiring and developing entry-level lineworker talent is critical for the long-term success of the company, which has evolved its hiring process to collaborate more with local community colleges across its service areas that have lineworker training programs.
From these training programs, Duke Energy recruits skilled candidates who have a desire to enter the field and who reflect the diversity of the communities it serves. Individuals interested in a lineworking career with Duke Energy should contact community colleges directly for information on their specific training programs and available funding.
