Contact: NOVEC Communications, , communications@novec.com
MANASSAS, Va. – Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) lineworkers earned five first-place awards, three seconds and three thirds at the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives’ annual Gaff-n-Go Rodeo, held May 15 and 16 in Doswell, Virginia. Three apprentices and six teams of three journeymen each competed for NOVEC, which is headquartered in Manassas.
Regional lineworkers from electric cooperatives, investor-owned utilities, municipal systems, and private contractors competed in 16 events that reflect their daily work, including pole climbing, equipment operation, and drone challenges. Competitors are judged on safety, efficiency, and completion time.
Grill master Mack Pierce took home two second-place awards of his own (for his ribs and for the “mystery meat” category) in the Gaff-n-Grill, a crowd favorite held Friday night.
NOVEC’s Manager of System Construction Mark DeChristopher has seen his share of Gaff-n-Go weekends. “The Gaff-n- Go is more than a competition showcasing linemen skills. It’s a celebration of an entire community behind the trade. Every person – from family and friends to the crews handling food, drinks, reservation, tents, apparel, or photography – plays a role in making the event possible. It’s an opportunity for the industry to come together, support one another, and recognize the hard work and dedication that define the line work profession.”
A new event this year, Wildlife Removal and Refuse, highlighted the reality that animals interfering with electric lines are the second-most common cause of outages after fallen trees. No animals were injured during the competition – lineworkers liberated a stuffed racoon from the top of an electric pole.
In the Hurtman Rescue event, competitors “saved” a mannequin representing an injured co-worker incapacitated at the top of a pole.
The journeyman team of Anthony Helsley, Connor Jost, and Kyle Sarvis placed first in the Hurtman Rescue contest and the Over-Voltage competition. They also placed second in the Recloser Close Out event. Journeymen Evan Bache, Jeremy Jenkins, and Jake Till took a first in the Working Skills event, and Nick Carpenter, Johnny Lanzetta and Robbie Studds placed third.
NOVEC’s Dan Greene won the apprentice climbing skills competition and Chase Campbell placed second. Campbell, 20, who is coming up on his first anniversary at NOVEC, said he had a lot of support for his first Gaff-n-Go. “My mom and dad, my grandpa and some friends came to watch.” The Double Dead-End Insulator Change-Out, he said, was the most challenging, but he felt confident because his mentors had prepared him well. “It was pretty fun.”
NOVEC CEO and President Kristen Senechal said, “I’m proud of how well our teams performed at this year’s Gaff-n-Go. A little friendly competition is fun, but it’s also great to see the foundational skills on display from our fellow co-ops. When we all come together, it builds comradery among all our lineworkers. It gives us a solid foundation of trust — essential when we are inevitably called on to help one another after a storm.”
NOVEC’s Gaff-n-Go supervisor Preston Frahm said that the Co-op is “dedicated to ensuring that our employees have all the tools and training that allow them to be able to perform their work, not only as efficiently as possible, but as safely as well. While it is obviously great to win awards, we’re also extremely happy with the fact that everyone came away from this experience injury free and better linemen than when they started.”
