7 jul 2025
Celebrating the 21st anniversary in showcasing the skills and hard work of utility linemen, the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, and title sponsor Altec recently hosted the 2025 Gaff-n-Go Rodeo. This year’s event was the largest ever with more than 350 competitors registered to compete from 12 states as far away as Hawaii. With more than 20 teams competing in the Gaff-n-Grill BBQ Rodeo, Prince George Electric Cooperative’s teams were yet again victorious – ranking top five in four of the barbecue competition categories.
This year’s staple Gaff-n-Grill competition featured 22 grilling teams including two from PGEC. Those teams are: PGEC’s all-female team, The ThunderButts (represented by employees Cathy O’Donnell and Erin Trant) and The Butt Splicers (represented by employees Blake Barry, John Pearce, and Ronnie Wall).
Notable top five rankings for the co-op included:
Top Five Overall – Butt Splicers
First Place Pork Belly – Butt Splicers
Top Five Pork Butt – Butt Splicers
Top Five Sweets – ThunderButts
President and CEO, Sarat Yellepeddi says that this year’s event is a testament to what can be achieved when employees work together. “Annually, we compete in the Gaff-n-Go Rodeo to celebrate the skill, dedication and teamwork of our employees,” he expresses. “It’s a powerful way to build camaraderie and strengthen relationships through friendly competition.”