By Joseph Mahan, FOX23 News
OKLAHOMA — OG&E lineman joined competitors from around the world for the 2026 International Lineman’s Rodeo, putting their technical expertise, precision and commitment to safety on display.
Drake Hirst earned first place in the Apprentice Police Climb, which OG&E says challenges competitors to climb a utility pole as quickly as possible while carrying eggs in a basket and in their mouths. The event tests speed, coordination and control under pressure.
OG&E said other events, such as the Hurtman Rescue, provided lineman with an opportunity to highlight the skills and teamwork needed to respond to real-work situations in the field.
The International Lineman’s Rodeo, held at the Overland Park Convention Center in Bonner Springs, Kansas, is the premier competition of its kind and brings together line workers for competition, professional development and industry collaboration, OG&E said. First held in 1948 with 12 teams, the annual event has grown to attract more than 300 teams and 450 apprentices from across the globe.
OG&E said the competition spotlights the specialized knowledge and hands-on expertise that its lineman utilize every day to deliver safe, reliable electricity to communities across Oklahoma and Arkansas.
