Alliant linemen train in Marshalltown ahead of upcoming ‘rodeo’
Tyler Rosonke and Eric Lay are returning Alliant competitors in the Iowa Lineman’s Rodeo. They came close to bringing home some buckles last year, and are hoping to get first place this year.
T-R PHOTOS BY LANA BRADSTREAM On Tuesday morning, Alliant linemen practice the hurt man rescue category for the Iowa Lineman’s Rodeo. Training for the event, which will take place at the Iowa State Fair Friday, was held at the Alliant Marshalltown Training Center.
Tyler Rosonke and Eric Lay are returning Alliant competitors in the Iowa Lineman’s Rodeo. They came close to bringing home some buckles last year, and are hoping to get first place this year.
T-R PHOTOS BY LANA BRADSTREAM On Tuesday morning, Alliant linemen practice the hurt man rescue category for the Iowa Lineman’s Rodeo. Training for the event, which will take place at the Iowa State Fair Friday, was held at the Alliant Marshalltown Training Center.
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"Rodeo" does not just apply to a contest between cowboys and livestock. For the second year in a row, it also applied to a contest of electrical lineman.
On Tuesday, some Alliant Energy lineman were training and preparing at the Marshalltown Training Center for tomorrow's Iowa Lineman Rodeo at the Iowa State Fair in Elwell Family Park.
The rodeo serves as a fun and friendly competition amongst line workers and apprentices from Alliant, MidAmerican Energy, ITC Midwest, Prairie Energy Cooperative, Eastern Iowa REC, TIP REC and IBEW Local Unions.
Senior Electric Training Coordinator Lee Beumer helped oversee the rodeo training in Marshalltown, and watched as Alliant linemen from across the state increased their pole climbing speeds, operated bucket trucks and participated in "hurt man rescues."
Beumer said the rodeo, which has two divisions – journeyman and apprentice – is another benefit of choosing a profession which is physically and mentally demanding.
"One part of the rodeo is to showcase their skills, what it takes to do these tasks, the camaraderie of linemen and, at the end of the day, doing it all in a safe manner," he said. "Number one is the safety aspect. Bringing the rodeo to the fair is a good way to [highlight] all of that and bring attention to what [they do] out there."
One Iowa Lineman Rodeo category which competitors will participate in this year is the hurt man rescue featuring two climbers and one groundman,
"In the hurt man rescue, when they're bringing the mannequin down, they have to slow him down, get control of the legs, set him down on his butt and lay him on his back," Beumer said. "That's a big thing to make sure the butt hits before the feet."
Another category is a speed event featuring an egg in a bucket. Linemen climb to the top of the pole as quickly as possible with a bucket, switch the bucket with the other already on the pole that is holding an egg and then carry the fresh egg in their mouths while climbing back down.
"It is a timed event to showcase speed climbing, but it has to be under control," Beumer said. "If you crack the egg, there are deducted points. During practice, the eggs are cracked quite often. . . . In the rodeo, you are better off to be under control, smooth and safe without deductions. You can be as fast as you want, but if you have 20 deductions, you've lost."
Beumer added the rodeo will have two mystery events which are not known until the night before. Last year the mystery events were cut-out change-outs and arrester change-outs.
In addition to training the Alliant team, he is also serving as a rodeo judge, but not for the Alliant teams. Beumer added he will be transparent about what is looking for, such as consistency, and what he might consider deficient.
"A deficiency might be a gaff out, [which happens] when you stick your spike in the pole and you slip out and your belt catches you," Beumer said. "If it slips a couple inches and your [spike] is in, that might be okay, but if you completely come out, we're going to knock on deficiency. Most of these skills are competed with rubber gloves. So, they need their rubber gloves on first. When they do the events, they have a tarp which everything has to be on. Nothing can hit the ground, unless it's going on that tarp. That shows when you're taking things up and down a handline, that it is under control and you are not just letting it fall and hit the ground. You want to hear communication between the teams, and that really relays into the job as a whole. You need communication. Someone can't make a move you are not aware of and potentially put someone else in danger."
Rodeo winners will receive large buckles similar to ones awarded in standard rodeo events. Beumer said there is also a traveling trophy on which a placard is placed for the winning team.
"It's bragging rights, really," he said. "It's something you keep and pass on."
Two competitors who hope to get some buckles are lineman Tyler Rosonke of Mason City and line foreman Eric Lay of Keokuk. When they heard of the inaugural rodeo last year, they signed up, having gained experience at the International Line Rodeo in Kansas City and enjoying the fun atmosphere at that event.
They competed in last year's rodeo and were awarded second and third places, respectively.
"We were so close last year," Rosonke said. "I also have competing in my blood, and [Lay] does, too. You got to go for first place, or at least do your best."
"In some events, you do better than others," Lay said. "It's an average for an overall score."
He said there is a lot of anticipation around the mystery events, not knowing what they are going to be, but competitors still strive to put in the best performance.
"Every second counts," Lay said. "One little mishap can make a little deduction. You want to be smooth, fast, yet without deductions."
Rosonke said it is a challenge for people to find the happy medium between going as quickly as possible, and still being without missteps. For this year's rodeo, he is focusing on making sure the equipment he uses is in the best possible condition.
Training
Coming to Marshalltown for the rodeo training were three-man journeyman teams consisting of two climbers and one groundman from Dubuque, Keokuk, Cedar Rapids and Mason City. There were also apprentices from Dubuque and Ottumwa who will compete individually. According to Beumer, Marshalltown is a prime central Alliant training location which frequently hosts crews from across Iowa.
Neither Rosonke nor Lay are strangers to Marshalltown, as they both come to town about once a year for training. They also both worked on restoring power in the state following the 2020 derecho. While the storms they have responded to have taken them away from their families, the gratefulness of the customers when the lights come back on is worth it.
"People really do appreciate us coming out," Rosonke said.
Alliant Senior Communications Specialist Taylor Adams said that if anyone is hired as an Alliant apprentice, they will come to Marshalltown for training.
"They stay in the hotels, eat at the restaurants," she said. "Marshalltown is really important to us."
Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.