Author: Daviess-Martin County REMC

The 2026 Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC) Linemen Rodeo was held Aug. 20-21 and featured more than 113 linemen and 28 teams from across the state. Both days were packed with high-energy, nonstop action as competitors took on challenges that showcased their skills, stamina and precision.

Team challenges encompassed the first day of the event and included various tasks, such as a dead-end changeout, which tasked competitors with replacing three insulators. Other tasks included a cross-arm changeout, a team hurt-man rescue and a mystery challenge.

The Daviess-Martin County REMC team included Jarrett Arvin, Grant Horton and Mitch Werner. While it was anything but easy, the team was able to bring home some hardware by the time all was said and done. Daviess-Martin County REMC finished fifth overall among a strong field of competitors, capping off an excellent first day of competition.

Day two of the event was equally exciting, with four Daviess-Martin County REMC linemen competing in the individual challenges. Competitors included line superintendent Nathan Albright, along with Jarrett Arvin, Dwain Jolliff and Mitch Werner. Each competitor represented Daviess-Martin County REMC well and put their skills to the test against some of the best linemen in the state.

“These men did a fantastic job, and we are pleased to have them on our team,” said Ryan Dant, CEO of Daviess-Martin County REMC. “We are proud of the skills and knowledge demonstrated not only at the rodeo, but also in their work at our co-op day in and day out.”

The rodeo is held annually at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, Indiana. In addition to watching the competition, spectators had the chance to browse a variety of booths, sample local favorites from area food trucks and learn more about linework from longtime industry professionals.

With another rodeo now in the books, linemen across the state will have another opportunity to put their skills to the test when the event returns in 2027.

Daviess-Martin County REMC linemen will compete at the Indiana Electric Cooperative Lineman Rodeo Aug. 20- 21 at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville. The two-day, family-friendly event showcases the skills and safety training of electric cooperative lineworkers.

The rodeo includes competitive events for apprentices, journeyman lineworkers and teams of three. Lineworkers will be tested on skills such as pole climbing, hurt man rescue and safely changing electric line hardware, rewarding excellence in safety, skill and knowledge.

Daviess-Martin County REMC is sending five individuals to the state competition, three of which will be patinating on one team. A total of 29 teams and 67 individual competitors from 23 Indiana electric cooperatives will compete in this year’s event.

The following linemen are representing Daviess-Martin County REMC at the rodeo:

• Nathan Albright, Line Superintendent
• Jarrett Arvin, Journeyman Linemen
• Grant Horton, Journeyman Linemen
• Dwain Jolliff, Journeyman Linemen
• Mitch Werner, Apprentice Linemen

“This event allows our linemen to refine and demonstrate the skills needed to safely perform as a lineman,” said Denny Wilson, Director of Operations at Daviess-Martin County REMC. “Our linemen have a lot of pride in the work they do and it’s great they are able to demonstrate these skills in a competitive environment.”

The rodeo kicks off on Thursday, August 20, starting with opening ceremonies at 8 a.m., followed by team events from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event continues Friday with individual competitions running from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

There will also be a kids’ zone, sponsored by Hendricks Power Cooperative, featuring activities, airbrush tattoos and an ice cream truck.

Attendance at the event is free and open to the public. The entrance to the event will be located at Gate 5 of the Hendricks County Fairgrounds, off N. County Road 200 E.

At Daviess-Martin County REMC, we are dedicated to serving our members, which can only happen with the right people in the right places. Grant Horton has spent the past four years with Daviess-Martin County REMC (DMREMC) and recently took the next step in his career by earning the title of journeyman.

Horton joined DMREMC on February 1, 2022, and has been a valued member of our team ever since. Throughout his time with the cooperative, he has gone above and beyond on multiple occasions, working not only to keep the lights on for our members but also to assist other cooperatives in times of need.

In June 2024, Horton joined one of our other journeymen, Tyler Bostock, in assisting the Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC after a severe storm left more than 8,000 members without power. He again joined several members of our team in February 2026 to assist with widespread power outages in Mississippi.

In addition to his work in the field, Horton has demonstrated a strong commitment to our community through his willingness to help educate the next generation about power line safety. He has participated in multiple live-line demonstrations and represented DMREMC at the 2024 Washington Touch a Truck event, where he showcased our bucket trucks and helped community members learn more about the equipment we use each day.

On July 10, 2026, Grant completed his final assessment as an apprentice, demonstrating that he could safely perform energized distribution work while following current rubber glove procedures. As part of the evaluation, he successfully completed a three-phase pole replacement under the close supervision of DMREMC management and officials from Hoosier Energy.

A couple of weeks later, on Friday, July 31, Grant completed his required 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, earning the title of Journeyman Lineman.

He resides in Loogootee, Indiana, and enjoys hunting in his spare time. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Grant on becoming a journeyman and look forward to his continued success and many more years of service with DMREMC.