For linemen tasked with keeping electricity functioning in communities across our country, performing day-to-day responsibilities at significant heights becomes routine.

This Saturday, a group of Goldsboro-based linemen will aim to reach another level when they compete in the Duke Energy Carolinas Lineman’s Rodeo at the New Hill Training Center in New Hill, outside of Raleigh.

The team of linemen from Duke Energy’s Goldsboro Operations Center is comprised of Kyle Smith (climber), Justin Coley (climber), Trey Kivett (apprentice), Brandon Creech (groundman), and Jonathan Perez (apprentice).

Smith, who recently celebrated nine years with Duke Energy, is a journeyman line worker, and the camaraderie he shares with his co-workers carries over into their cohesion as a unit in their practices for the linemen rodeo.

“We’ve got a very good work chemistry, where you don’t have to know what they’re doing, you just know they’re doing it,” Smith said. “You kind of know what they’re doing and they know what you’re doing without having to look over there and see what they’re doing.”

The Lineman’s Rodeo is a test of lineworkers’ skills – critical skills they use daily in the field to keep the lights on and restore power for customers when it goes out.

At the rodeo linemen are tested on job-related skills such as equipment repair and pole climbs, while being judged on speed, agility, technique, and safety procedures.

Many teams and individual competitors put in dozens of extra hours training and honing their skills before the rodeo. Competitors compete to be the fastest, safest, and most efficient at various tasks.

Every member of the Goldsboro-based Linemen’s rodeo team has a background in competitive sports of some kind. Smith believes that competitive spirit pays off for he and his teammates.

“All the guys on our team, we all come from a competitive background,” Smith said. “One of them was actually a professional motocross racer. I played competitive baseball, and one of the other guys played competitive baseball. There’s a lot of stuff, where we’re just very competitive people, and when we all started with Duke and we learned there was an avenue where we could show our skills and compete with people from all over the United States and possibly from all over the world, it was a no-brainer for us.”

The winners of the Carolinas Lineman’s Rodeo go on to compete at an international competition against the best lineworkers in the world this fall.

For those interested in attending the Duke Energy Carolinas Lineman’s Rodeo, the New Hill Training Center is located at 5103 Shearon Harris Road in New Hill.

The opening ceremony begins at 7:25 a.m. with the rodeo scheduled to start at 8. A free catered lunch will be served at 11 a.m. Casual dress and comfortable shoes are recommended.