Sometimes competition comes down to more than winning or losing. A perfect example of this occurred on October 19, at the fortieth annual International Lineman’s Rodeo in Kansas City.
Steve Bentley, a 29-year IBEW member, is a journey level lineworker with PG&E. Bentley has been participating in line rodeos for over a decade. He thought he was done with rodeoing when earlier in 2024, his wife, Shannon, suggested he give it a go for one last year. Steve had lost some weight, and Shannon proposed he form a team with their son, Daniel Lofstrand, who is a young lineworker in Dinuba, near Fresno.
Steve Bentley and his son, Daniel Lofstrand, compete at the 40th annual International Rodeo.
It didn’t take a whole lot of convincing, but they needed to find another teammate to round out the required 3-person team. Steve found a coworker from San Jose, and the team qualified at the PGE West Coast Lineman rodeo in Livermore, to be sponsored by IBEW1245 in Kansas City.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck in late September and early October, and their teammate, Joe Rogers was called for Mutual Aid across the country, rendering him unavailable to compete in Kansas City. A mad scramble ensued in an attempt to find a new teammate. With little time to prepare, Chris Martin from Stockton GC, agreed to come on board to round out the team.
While most of Bentley’s rodeo experience was acting as the groundman on his crew, including in Livermore where they had qualified for Kansas City, the team collectively decided that team chemistry would be better served with Steve and Daniel on the wood, and Chris as the groundman.
While the team did not end up hitting the podium (top 5 for each event), they did prove to be extremely competitive throughout the day, finishing in the top half of the nearly 300 teams at the rodeo.
Steve Bentley, Shannon Bentley, Daniel Lofstrand, and Chris Martin