The fourth annual Indiana Electric Cooperative Lineman Rodeo was held at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds on August 21-22, 2025.
A total of 34 teams and 125 participants representing 26 of the state’s electric cooperatives, including 13 Hoosier Energy member cooperatives, competed in the two-day event showcasing the skills of the state’s linemen.
The teams and individuals from Hoosier Energy members represented themselves well, earning two overall first-place individual finishes and an overall team title with multiple other podium finishes.
In the Apprentice Lineman competition, Daviess-Martin County REMC’s Jarrett Arvin took first overall while also winning the Skill Climb.
Coming in second was Decatur County REMC’s Caleb Litmer, who won the Hurtman Rescue and Egg Climb events. Ethan Stidham of Jackson County REMC was third overall and third in the Hurtman Rescue. Also claiming third-place finishes were Evan Tallent of Decatur County REMC in the Skill Climb and Max Rickelman of Southern Indiana Power in the Egg Climb.
It was a similar story for Senior Journeyman, as Harrison REMC’s Tim Bland claimed first overall as well as first in the Hurtman Rescue, second in the Skill Climb and third in the Egg Climb.
Close behind in second overall was Harrison’s Steve Saltsgaver, who won the Skill Climb and was second in Hurtman Rescue.
Southern Indiana Power’s Jim Applegate won the Egg Climb, while Clark County REMC’s Jerry Applegate was third in the Skill Climb.
The Journeyman competition saw Hoosier Energy members sweep the Skill Climb event with Harrison’s Jacobb White first, Decatur’s Collin Crabtree second and Harrison’s Kyle Armstrong third.
It was Clark County REMC’s trio of Bo Simpson, Wyatt Binkley and Harley Applegate taking the overall Team title, followed by Harrison’s Saltsgaver, Bland and Randy Schoen in second. Clark’s Jacob Pierce, Nathan Clayton and Trace Strouse were third, while WIN Energy’s Alex Schnepper, Drew Walden and Jacob Werner took fourth.
Linemen compete during the 2025 Indiana Electric Cooperative Lineman Rodeo at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds.
In the individual events, Harrison took the top two spots in the Transformer Change with Saltsgaver, Bland and Schoen first and the team of Kody Kennedy, Armstrong and White second. WIN’s Schnepper, Walden and Werner were third.
In the Underarm Switch Change, it was Clark’s Simpson, Binkley and Applegate in first, followed by Harrison’s Saltsgaver, Bland and Schoen.
And in the Mystery Event, Southeastern Indiana REMC’s team of Todd Huff, Morgan Sutton and Adam Fry finished first with Clark’s Simpson, Binkley and Applegate second.