ProRodeo Sports News - May 4, 2018

job. I work for a Payne Radio Group, so I have that to fall back on. That’s where a lot of my talking and voice grows, it’s all the mic time from radio. TY MILLER Born: Sept. 16, 1996

announcers, and I called them. I was pretty green going into that and had only done a couple high school rodeos before that. That kickstarted my career, and now I announce for multiple stock contractors on the East Coast. What challenges have you faced and who helped you overcome them? The biggest thing is having someone who will give me a chance. For the committees to put a rodeo in your hands is a big responsibility, and sometimes they look at my age and they’re not sure I can handle the job. I’m still paying my dues and trying to prove myself. I have no background or schooling for speaking, but when I got on the mic the first couple of times it was amazing how nervous you got. Those nerves have gone away, and I’ve gotten confidence from being on the mic. The more I do it, the better it gets. What are your goals as an announcer and how do you plan to achieve them? I want to go as far as I can with it. I want to announce the RAM First Frontier Circuit Finals Rodeo and then have a chance to announce the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo and maybe someday the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Hometown: Newville, Pa. Joined PRCA: June 2016 Rodeos announced: Coy LutzMemorial Rodeo in Centre Hall, Pa. (Sept. 2017); Willowdale Pro Rodeo in Toughkenamon, Pa. (Oct. 2017); Painted Pony Championship Rodeo in Lake Luzerne, N.Y. (July 2016), Cowtown Rodeo inWoodstown Pilesgrove, N.J. (twice in Sept. 2017), and the Bloomsburg (Pa.) PRCA Rodeo (Sept. 2016)

When did you announce your first rodeo? I was 17 when I announced my first rodeo in Cody, Wyo., in 2014. I announced there through the summer and I was the second-youngest announcer to announce that rodeo. I heard Cody was looking for young

THE VETS WAYNE BROOKS Born: Oct. 29, 1966 Hometown: Lampasas, Texas Joined PRCA: 1994

up being the best advice in the world.

What advice do you have for young and upcoming announcers? Work hard, study hard and good things will come. RANDY CORLEY Born: Nov. 22, 1951 Hometowns: Silverdale, Wash.; Lusk, Wyo. Joined PRCA: 1980

Significant rodeo accomplishments: Announced at the Wrangler NFR (2006, 2013- 17) and National Finals Steer Roping (2000, 2004-05) When did you announce your first rodeo? In about 1991, I was hanging out at Estrella Park

Significant rodeo accomplishments: ProRodeo Hall of Fame inductee (2017); announced at the NFR (1985-86, 1992, 1994-96, 2007-17) When did you announce your first rodeo? I did a nightly rodeo for world champion bronc

outside of Phoenix, Ariz., and the announcer didn’t show up and the stock contactor’s wife was listening to people talk and it went from there. I didn’t have much experience prior to that, but I have taken a course on voiceover work. This is your 24th year of announcing with the PRCA. How many rodeos have you announced? Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,500 perfs. How did you get into announcing rodeos? I didn’t realize they paid anyone for it. Someone offered me $50 to do a practice gig. It’s a slow progression to junior rodeo and high school, and on to the pros. It takes a long time, 10 years to get your name established and get the ball rolling. What challenges did you encounter and how did you overcome them? It’s kind of like the school of hard knocks, it takes a lot of perfs to figure out what you do wrong and what you can do better. Studying other announcers is a big part of the program because they have been through the school of hard knocks. It’s easy to learn from someone who has been there and done that. When you first started announcing, what were your goals? Did you achieve all of them? I had none whatsoever, and when I started to realize I could work half a dozen in the summer and make some extra dollars, it was just gravy for supporting my family. Little did I know it would progress and be a full-time job. And today my goals are the same, to make a living for my family and take care of the bills. What’s the best advice you’ve been given? At my first ProRodeo (Phoenix, Ariz., 1993), Randy Corley said to be a nice guy and do the best you can, and you will progress, and 24 years later it ended

rider Bill Smith in North Platte, Neb., in 1979. I did that for two years, and we had at least 60-70 performances each summer. I have a degree in broadcasting from the Ron Bailie School of Broadcasting in Seattle, Wash. I knew Bill would start the nightly rodeo, so I moved to Nebraska hoping he would hire me. I got a job in radio there though. How many rodeos have you announced since starting 39 years ago? Maybe 1,200 rodeos. If you count the perfs, it goes ballistic. How has your approach to announcing changed over the years? I don’t get quite as loud as I used to. You really want the audience to stay involved, but not every ride deserves a standing ovation and you have to have peaks and valleys at every performance. If you try to keep them totally excited all the time, and then you get a 90-point ride or something great in a run, like an arena record, those things deserve the audience getting really excited – but you don’t have anywhere to go with them and you have them worn out. You have to let them breathe and then get on them when it’s time to get excited.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given so far? Prepare for your performance, every one of them.

What advice do you have for young and upcoming announcers? If you ever get a shot to go spend part of your time in Cody or in Estes Park, Colo., or any of those nightly rodeos, you can’t buy that kind of experience.

ProRodeo Sports News 5/4/18

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