Alas, no medals for Community Electric’s team members at the 2026 Gaff-n-Go Rodeo held in mid-May north of Richmond, but the memories will linger nonetheless.
“What a fantastic two days of competition this was,” CEC President and CEO Stephen A. Harmon said. “I am immensely proud of the 13 current – and retired – CEC employees who competed in the lineworker rodeo and in the Gaff-n-Grill barbecue. There were some new events and the weather warmed on us a bit, but every one of the men representing Community Electric acquitted himself very well.”
This was the 22nd annual rodeo held by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC). The gathering highlights the skills of hundreds of lineworkers from across the country in events that reflect their daily work keeping power flowing to homes and businesses in their respective service territories. The events include rescue simulations, pole climbing, equipment operation, drone navigation and insulator replacements. The event’s name comes from the “gaff,” a metal spike attached to boots to climb wooden utility poles.
“It is astounding to see how much the Gaff-n-Go Rodeo has grown over the years,” said Harmon, who started his electric-sector career as a lineman and chaired this year’s Rodeo Committee. “We have competitors from electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, investor-owned utilities, private contractors, and on top of that the many supportive members of the general public who attend and help make this a great family outing in every sense of the word.”
Community Electric fielded a strong contingent for the event. CEC had two journeyman lineman teams, one apprentice lineman, two drone operators and four judges. The team of Danny Beale, Robb Darden and Daniel Hobson finished eighth (out of 37 teams) in the rodeo's Equipment Operators category; they also finished ninth in the Operators' Digger Derrick/Mini-Excavator Obstacle skill, while Ryan Hewitt, Holden Barry and Jonathan Powell finished sixth in that particular skill. Barry also competed as an apprentice lineman, and Kenny McMichael was on a journeyman team. Evan Wagonsomer and Flynn Gladden operated drones, showcasing expertise that garnered them fourth- and fifth-place finishes, respectively, in that skill. Hobson and Wagonsomer also assisted as judges during the rodeo, as did CEC's Travis Pickrell and Mitch Simmons.
Community Electric was represented in the Gaff-n-Grill competition by W.H. Holland, Kenny Groves and Rick Cohen. Holland, who is something of a local legend for his barbecuing expertise (see our March 4th website article on his 40th year of service with CEC) was team captain, and Cohen lent his skills to the barbecue cookoff even though he retired from CEC in June 2025.
VMDAEC President and CEO Brian Mosier said of the rodeo, “Watching these professionals demonstrate the skill it takes to safely and reliably keep electricity flowing to the two million members we serve is impressive. This competition highlights the training required to become a lineworker and recognizes those who work around the clock in all conditions.”