Pasadena Water and Power Linemen Placed Ninth in International Lineman’s Rodeo

Pasadena ranked higher overall than the other Southern California municipalities in the International Lineman’s Rodeo held in Kansas City this October.

Jeffrey Kightlinger, Pasadena Water and Power Interim General Manager, said the department recently participated in the International Lineman’s Rodeo in Kansas City and placed 9th in a field of 33 municipal utilities, and 67th out of 242 teams overall.

Categories were divided into Team and Apprentice Events, and included hurt man rescue and a pole climb, and two mystery events for both team and apprentice. The apprentice events also included a written test.

“This was the department’s first time competing, and we look forward to showcasing our world-class training and talented staff at future events,” Kightlinger said.

The team that went to Kansas City includes Anthony Ghilordi, Tyler Van Der Gugten, Courtney Kent, Tyler Robinson, Michael Goltz, Juvenal Magana, and Raymond Davila. They are members of PWP’s Transmission and Distribution team.

In May, Magana won second place for the hurt-man rescue event at the Los Angeles Regional Lineman Competition, and third-place for the obstacle course event. In that same competition, Trevor Ingram, PWP Apprentice Electrical Distribution Mechanic, won first-place for the speed climb event.

Kent, Van Der Gugten, and Davila were also in the LA regional competition.

In addition to being an opportunity to showcase complex abilities, both the regional and the international competition provide ample recognition of the oftentimes dangerous work that utility linemen perform every day.