REC lineworkers and equipment operators brought skill, safety and teamwork to the forefront at the 22nd annual Gaff-n-Go Rodeo, held May 15-16 at Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Va. The annual event gathered utility professionals from across the region and beyond for two days of competition, camaraderie and celebration of the demanding work required to keep power flowing safely and reliably.
For REC, the weekend was marked by standout performances. Zach Carlisle, Andrew Gray and Cody Lockhart were named Overall Equipment Operator champions with a perfect overall score. The team also earned first place with perfect scores in both the OCR Change-Out and Digger Derrick/Mini Ex Obstacle Course events. Hunter Jost, Matthew Murphy and Travis Scheulen added to REC's strong showing with a second-place finish in the Digger Derrick/Mini Excavator Obstacle Course.
Across the grounds, competitors demonstrated the precision, control and focus needed in the field every day. Events included climbing, Hurtman Reschue, Lineworker Down — CPR, recloser work, equipment operation and other challenges rooted in real-world safety practices. REC apprentices earned perfect scores in Climbing Skills, Double Dead-End Insulator Change-Out, Hurtman Rescue and Lineworker Down — CPR, while journeyman and equipment operator teams also recorded perfect scores in key events.
"The scense of competition is really fun," said Lineworker Brandon Mills. "My favorite is probably the Hurtman Rescue because it means so much to everybody here. It's not just an event. It gets to show our families what has to happen if something were to happen to us." Beyond the compeition, Gaff-n-Go reflected the close-knit spirit of the utility industry, with families, coworkers, vendors and grill teams competing in the Gaff-n-Grill compeition. "We're one big co-op and everybody's working together," said Jason Satterwhite, REC's Chief Grid Operations Officer. "Everybody's encouraging each other. So there's always the internal competition with our teams, but it's like a family."
Visit the 2026 Gaff-n-Go webpage to see more photos and learn more about the event.
