Youth News
One Oklahoma Rodeo Announcer is Stealing the Show at National FFA Convention
Tue, 18 Oct 2016 17:18:48 CDT
Since graduating high school, Garret Yerigan of Pryor, Oklahoma says his rodeo announcing business has flourished, spending 40 to 45 weekends a year on the road holding the attention of audiences around the world. Garrett is taking a break from announcing the names of other though this weekend, in hopes that this time, it's his name that is called - competing as Oklahoma's Star Finalist in Agribusiness at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Farm Director Ron Hays is there covering the event and was able to speak with Garrett as he waits for this year's outcome.
Garrett recounts how he got his start announcing rodeos, growing up as the son of two rodeo competitors.
"My mom and dad, they were both competitors in rodeo and that was never really something that just caught my eye," Garrett said. "But the announcer always was - to see a guy stand up there for two hours and just control a crowd's emotions and take them through the highs and lows. So, I set goals to make it happen and I stand here today, ten years into my career and have never looked back."
Through connections made following his parents around the rodeo circuit, Garrett was able to get his first break at around twelve years old. Since then, he's taken announcing gigs as they came up. These days, his schedule stays pretty booked up, keeping him on the road months at a time during the summer and taking him as far as Canada and Australia even.
"Just little doors opening each and every day go me where I am today," Garrett said. "You really got to be able to balance everything when you are on the road."
Many people who turn their hobbies into a job often let their work consume them; and what started out as a genuine interest for some people can become a chore. That's simply not the case though when it comes to him, Garrett says about being an announcer.
"We are nothing more than over paid fans of the sport," Garrett said. "When it comes down to it, I'm just the biggest fan in the world that they give a microphone to and say, 'here, tell us about it.'"
Garrett says though FFA, to no end, helped to prepare him for where he is today in his career path.
"From the first day I stepped into the FFA building as an 8th grader," Garrett said. "I never imagined the impact that this blue and gold jacket would have on my career."
Garrett is a two time National Proficiency Award Winner, having previously won in 2012 and 2013, winning the 2012 National Proficiency Award in Agricultural Communications - Entrepreneurship/Placement and the 2013 National Proficiency award in Outdoor Recreation- Placement/Entrepreneurship. Click here to jump to articles about his previous accomplishments. Click here, to read FFA's release announcing Garrett as a Star Finalist for 2016.
Listen to Farm Director Ron Hays' full conversation with Garrett Yerigan as he competes this week in Indianapolis at the National FFA Convention for Star in Agribusiness, by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.
We will be taking pictures throughout the 2016 Convention in Indianapolis- and you can go and see them all in our Flickr Album by clicking here.
Our exclusive coverage of the 89th annual National FFA Convention in Indianapolis is a service of ITC, Your Energy Superhighway. Learn more about ITC Great Plains, LLC by clicking here. We also appreciate the support of the Oklahoma FFA Association and the Oklahoma FFA Alumni Association. Click here for more information about one of the top states in the US in the FFA- the Oklahoma FFA Association. Oklahoma FFA impacts the lives of 27,154 members in 359 chapters across the state.
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