For young kids growing up in the western industry, it’s not uncommon for them to dream of one day nodding their heads in the iconic yellow bucking chutes, or turning the three Coors Banquet barrels in the Thomas and Mack Center during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
For Garrett Yerigan, his gold buckle dreams took a different form.
The son of two avid rodeo competitors, Yerigan attended his very first rodeo at two weeks old. The sport was in his blood.
The late Clem McSpadden and Cowboy Channel personality Justin McKee both recognized Yerigan as being the only kid they knew of who grew up wanting to be a rodeo announcer.
As a kid, Yerigan would announce jackpots and slack out of necessity while his parents worked behind the scenes. Because there were no age restrictions in the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA), Yerigan was able to announce his very first rodeo performance at the age of 12.
He was hooked.
Yerigan has since announced events sanctioned by the IPRA and PBR, and he was named the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Announcer of the Year in 2021 – the first year he was nominated. He has been heard at Cheyenne Frontier Days, The American Rodeo, and the Xtreme Broncs and Bulls Tour Finale in Rapid City, South Dakota.
These days, Yerigan is busy on the rodeo trail connecting the dots for new rodeo fans and honoring the deep roots and traditions of the sport.
Listen to our full interview with Garrett on this week’s episode of Breaking the Barrier, hosted by Rebel Sjeklocha.
Listen here:
