1837 Members Take Top Spots at Rodeo

They don’t climb for crowds or spotlight. There are no grandstands or a roaring stadium. Just a field lined with rows of utility poles. Fellow lineworkers and families stand behind a rope as the sound of gaffs cut into wood. At the International Lineman’s Rodeo in Bonner Springs, Kansas, lineworkers climb for pride, for the trade, and for each other.

It’s where skill, training, and years of mentorship are tested in a matter of seconds.

It was on that open field, beneath a bright blue Midwestern sky in October, that Eversource New Hampshire Troubleshooter and IBEW Local 1837 member Bob Michaud stepped up to compete alongside climbing partner Jason Henley (UWUA Local 369) and groundman Matthew Danielson (UWUA Local 369). Henley climbed first, Michaud followed, and Danielson kept eyes on every detail from the ground. When both climbers hit the turf with clean runs and no obvious deductions, Michaud looked at his team and knew they were finally going to be back on the podium.

Held each fall, the International Lineman’s Rodeo brings together the most skilled lineworkers in the trade, representing utilities, contractors, co-ops, municipalities, and even the military, to compete in a series of timed and scored events. Journeyman teams complete the Hurtman Rescue, Pole Climb, and two Mystery Events, while apprentices compete in the same events plus a written exam. Scoring is based on safety, technique, and speed, with a flawless day totaling 400 points across all events.

Before reaching the international stage, teams must first prove themselves at their company rodeo, where only the top-performing crews earn the honor of representing Eversource in Kansas. This year, Eversource sent a strong delegation, with eight journeyman teams and eight apprentices competing in Bonner Springs.

Among all the events, the pole climb carries the most prestige. It is measured in seconds and crowns the fastest climbers in the field.

“This is the one thing where you need skill,” Michaud said. “The fastest wins this. That is where the bragging rights come from.”

At the Rodeo, Michaud clocked an official time of 37 seconds, with Henley climbing second at 40 seconds, giving the team their winning total of 1:17.55.

“Finding two guys who are both fast and good at linework, you do not always get that,” he said. “Even the order you climb in matters. It is a huge team effort.”

While one team technically finished faster, a broken egg on the descent, a 100-point penalty, erased their run. That is all it takes. One slip, one misstep, one cracked egg, and a year of preparation is gone.

“Breaking the egg, dropping the bucket outside the circle, it all counts,” Michaud explained. “There is only one shot. You wait 365 days for the next one.”

Michaud knows that feeling well. Over nearly two decades of competing, he has ridden the highs and lows of the Rodeo stage. He placed third in 2014 and first in 2016 but had not made the podium again until now. The last two years were especially tough, with one year lost to a dropped egg and another falling short by seconds.

This year was not just fast. It was redemption.

“We knew we had the talent to do this,” Michaud said. “We just had to prove it to ourselves again.”

Michaud has spent years practicing the climb relentlessly. Over the past year alone, he logged more than 100 hours of practice, climbing at the Tilton and Hooksett yards on his own time. Over three years, he estimates more than 200 hours of climbing practice went into preparing for this moment.

“We have missed it time and time again,” Michaud said. “It sucks knowing you just missed it, so this year was about getting that monkey off our back.”

His climbing partner, Jason Henley, has been both a friendly rival and teammate since they were apprentices.

“Jason has always been faster than me,” Michaud said. “I was not going to be the reason we did not succeed.”

Eversource NH also celebrated a standout performance in the Apprentice Division, where Calvin Edson placed fourth overall. Michaud has been coaching Edson, sharing technique, strategy, and the mental side of the climb, while still letting Edson develop his own style.

“He went from not being able to get under a minute to getting under 40 seconds,” Michaud said proudly. “He has lost more than 40 seconds since I started working with him.”

For Michaud, the most meaningful part was not the personal win. It was watching Edson rise.

“These apprentices are starting to watch me,” Michaud said. “You become a role model to them. I am proud of the guy because he is good and has put in the work. He deserves it.”

As for whether he will return next year, Michaud is not calling it just yet, leaving the option to his climbing partner.

“It is up to him if we do it again,” he said. “But if we do, we are coming back just as fast.”