(Murfreesboro) Middle Tennessee Electric is sponsored the Lineman Rodeo this past weekend.

MTEMC President and CEO Chris Jones said, "Linemen work very hard every day, building and repairing lines, ensuring the overall reliability of the electrical grid in their service territories. They are the unsung heroes who stand at the ready to respond to outages caused by storms, accidents or anything else that may knock out the power. They are the ones who, through their tireless efforts, help ensure the system reliability of member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives."

Murfreesboro Electric Department's Amy Byars was excited with the crowds . . .



The Tennessee Valley Lineman Rodeo is a two-day competitive event that was started in 1998 by and for the employees of the Tennessee Valley Authority power distributors. The Rodeo, which includes competitive events for apprentices, journeyman teams of three, individual linemen and senior individuals (age 45 and up) recognizes and rewards excellence in safety, skill and knowledge in their field.

Other competition included climbing the wooden utility poles and changing insulators, making specific repairs--they are all fitness oriented dealing with a lineman's ability to quickly climb the pole, sometimes carrying tools and heavy cable.

Hear Complete Interview

Here is the entire interview with Murfreesboro Electric's Amy Byers . . .