GARLAND, Texas, October 16, 2006 - Garland Power & Light (GP&L) linemen earned five top 10 finishes at the 23rd Annual International Lineman’s Rodeo at Kansas City, Kansas on October 7. The competition included international teams representing Jamaica, Great Britain, Ireland and Canada.

The Journeyman Team of Tommy Powell, Jeremy Knight and Frank McLen competed against 210 teams, placing 5th in the Overall Municipal Journeyman Team category, 7th in the Pole Climb, and 10th in the Switch Change Out events.

Competing against 242 apprentices, Dusty Hale placed 4th in the Hurtman Rescue and 10th in the Insulator Change Out events.

Powell, Knight and McClen’s 5th place and Dusty Hale’s 4th place finishes earned them trophies and the first walks across the stage for a GP&L team at this International Rodeo.

Also participating on behalf of GP&L were apprentice Josh Rotan and linemen Hank Frazier and Aaron Brooks, who both served as judges.

“We’re very proud of how well our linemen did at this event,” said Sonie Jackson, Transmission & Distribution and Rodeo Coordinator. “It was exciting to see the guys compete so well against the best linemen in the world,” he added.

Lineman’s rodeos feature a series of events in which linemen compete to demonstrate safety, work practices, neatness, ability, equipment handling and timely event completion. At this International Rodeo, GP&L competed against teams from other municipal utilities, investor owned utilities, electric cooperatives, contractors and the military.