CARCGA to host first California Locate Rodeo on Oct. 24 at Skyline College

The California Regional Common Ground Alliance will stage its inaugural California Locate Rodeo on Oct. 24, 2026, in San Bruno to spotlight underground utility safety and damage prevention. Retired Sen. Jerry Hill will headline the event, which will bring together locators, utilities, excavators and 811 groups for competition and education.

Why it matters: - The inaugural California Locate Rodeo is designed to spotlight the work that helps prevent damage to underground infrastructure. - The event brings together utility locators, utilities, excavators, 811 organizations and damage prevention professionals around a shared safety goal. - Retired Sen. Jerry Hill’s appearance ties the event to California’s underground safety rules and the state’s “call 811 before you dig” process.

What happened: - The California Regional Common Ground Alliance will host its first California Locate Rodeo on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Skyline College in San Bruno, California. - Retired Sen. Jerry Hill is the featured guest speaker. - The event will include competition, education and industry recognition. - Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. - Winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m.

The details: - Hill sponsored the Dig Safe Act of 2016, which created the California Underground Safety Board and strengthened oversight of the state’s “call 811 before you dig” process. - The rodeo will showcase the skill and precision required to identify and mark underground infrastructure safely. - Competitors will take part in hands-on locating challenges in four utility categories: telecom, power, water and gas. - Top competitors will receive cash prizes. - Leading performers will advance to a Grand Finale competition. - Attendees will also be able to connect with colleagues, learn from industry partners and take part in safety-focused demonstrations and activities. - Competitors, sponsors, volunteers and members of the damage prevention community are invited. - Space for competitors is limited.

Between the lines: - CARCGA is using the rodeo format to make a technical safety discipline more visible and more collaborative. - The event positions damage prevention as a system-wide responsibility, not just the job of individual locators. - The featured speaker choice reinforces the policy and regulatory backdrop behind underground safety in California.

What's next: - CARCGA will hold the event on Oct. 24 at Skyline College. - Organizers expect competition entries, sponsor participation and community attendance to continue building ahead of the rodeo. - The strongest performers will move on to the Grand Finale competition.

The bottom line: - CARCGA wants the first California Locate Rodeo to be both a skills contest and a public reminder that safe excavation depends on careful locating, coordination and accountability.