Gresham, Oregon – July 26
Wow, what a crew! Sturgeon Electric California / IBEW Local 47 team didn't just show up to the PNW Lineman's Rodeo – they absolutely crushed it and showed everyone how it's done!
These guys stayed focused on fundamentals throughout the competition. Clean technique and solid execution on every event.
The Results
Journeyman Team: Dan Jameson, Enoc Verdin, Joe Maynes
🥇 1st Place – Cut Out Change Out
🥈 2nd Place – Hurtman Rescue
🥉 3rd Place – Pole Climb (tie)
Apprentice Wyatt Reedy
🥉 3rd Place – Hurtman Rescue
🥉 3rd Place – Pole Climb
Coach Steve Lekvold? The man knows how to get the best out of his people. Simple as that.
Why This Matters
Anyone who's worked high voltage in the Pacific Northwest knows this job will humble you fast. The Columbia River Gorge's unique geography creates intense wind patterns due to pressure differences between cool coastal air and hot inland air, while coastal storms and rugged terrain test every piece of gear you've got. Events like the PNW Lineman Rodeo remind the brotherhood that linemen watch each other's backs, with competitions that test speed, safety and trade skills through events like Hurt Man Rescue and pole climbing – whether you're working the windy gorge or anywhere across the West.
What Sturgeon Electric California's crew showed was pure skill and pride in the craft. In a brotherhood that never asks for credit, performances like this remind everyone why we're the backbone holding everything together.
The Real Story Here:
Every lineman reading this knows the truth: rodeo skills and real-world skills are the same skills. The steady hands that win competitions are the same ones that keep the lights on during ice storms. The crew chemistry that looks good on Saturday looks even better on a midnight emergency call.
Sturgeon Electric California's success didn't happen overnight. This was months of staying after work to practice. Weekends spent perfecting technique. A coach who cared enough to push them harder. And four guys who decided they weren't going to settle for "good enough."
For the apprentices out there: Wyatt Reedy just showed you what's possible. He placed among the best apprentices out there — some with years more experience under their belt. He didn’t get there by accident – he got there by showing up, paying attention, and putting in the work when nobody was watching
For the journeymen: Your apprentices are taking notes. Your crew is counting on you. The skills you sharpen today might save someone's life tomorrow. Train like it matters, because it absolutely does.
Wondering about that shirt the team was wearing at the 2025 PNW Rodeo?
We thought you might be. It’s exclusively available here on our site.
Three California companies. One hard hitting collab.
High Voltage Industries, Benchmark FR, and Sturgeon Electric California linked up on this limited edition collab design for the 2025 Lineman's Rodeo Season.
⚡ We launched it the day before the PG&E rodeo
⚡ It SOLD OUT in ONE DAY
⚡ And the THIRD restock? Moving fast, just like the others.
100% American-made. Exclusive to the trade. Made on a Bayside, USA-made tee. Available for a limited time.
Gear up before it’s gone (again). When we say limited—we mean it.
The answer to "where'd you get your shirt?" is right here.
➡️Grab yours now before the restock disappears
Here's to the Ones Who Keep It Hot
To every high voltage worker and lineman out there— whether you’re climbing poles, out in the switchyard, swinging off helicopters, working underground, or managing the grid —you inspire everything we do. And whether you’re repping one of our lineman hats on your day off, pulling on a high voltage shirt before heading out, or flipping one of our drag up challenge coins, know this: you’re part of something bigger.
