OklahomaHorses Magazine March 2023

March / April 2023 • OklahomaHorses 25 Yerigan commented, ”It’s mind-boggling when I think about the advancements in technology and what is available now … laser light shows, intelligent video boards, modern music and sound equipment, etc., but it’s also a balancing act to maintain the history and traditions of rodeo. It’s always a challenge to see how we can bridge the gap between the past and the present.” Off to an Early Start Although his age doesn’t indicate years of experience, Yerigan is a veteran behind the microphone in the rodeo arena. “I can’t really remember the first time I was behind the microphone at a rodeo — I was only six or seven years old,” he said. Traveling the rodeo circuit with his dad, steer wrestler Dale Yerigan, and his mom, Kathy, the boy paid close attention to the announcers at a very young age and could mimic some of the best in the business before he was old enough to go to school. He knew the contestants, the livestock, and the rules of each event and had a collection of rodeo jokes at about the same time he was learning to read. It was not unusual to see him in the announcer’s booth standing on a stool so he would be tall enough to see the arena floor. With vision way beyond his years, Yerigan realized at a young age that rodeo was how he wanted to spend his life, and he felt that his gift of gab and other interests could be used best in the production aspect of the sport. Yerigan cut his teeth announcing the slack sessions at area rodeos, and by the time he was 10 years old, he had moved into assisting with sound and lights, statistics, etc. His career kicked into high gear during seventh grade, and he announced his first International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) rodeo in Butler, Missouri, when he was 12 years old. Fortunately, his school principal was a rancher who understood the boy’s position and the demands on his time. “He also helped prepare the high school staff for my unusual situation,” Yerigan explained. “I was very fortunate that the school graciously supported my schedule and my ventures, as did my parents. I handled the bulk of my scheduling and other activities, but my parents were a tremendous help, especially until I could drive myself to rodeos. My parents continued to travel with me when they could.” Yerigan’s early years not only involved time behind the microphone at events but his own company handling sound, lights, video, special effects, dirt work, and other aspects of the production side of the sport. If he wasn’t in the announcer’s booth, Lightning G Productions was most likely involved somehow in an event almost every weekend. Yerigan received his first PRCA card in 2014 right after he graduated from high school and began to add PRCA events to his already impressive schedule. An IncredibleWay To Make a Living Although Yerigan doesn’t work the production side as much as he used to, he recently served a second year as the show caller and live event producer for the 2023 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. He explained, “This is a little different for me now, but it really helps my awareness of all the things it takes to put on a rodeo. It’s always fun to work the entertainment side of our sport and make sure the fans have a great experience and want to come back for more. The all-star crew in Fort Worth made my part of it easy.” The camaraderie of people in the rodeo world is something Yerigan really enjoys, and he commented that it is second to none. Yerigan drives to many events now, but it depends on scheduling and locations. He added, “My road miles may be around 30,000 a year in my truck pulling a living- quarters horse trailer, but I fly to some locations just because of the logistics. I guess my total miles in a year to average around 50,000. The road is nothing new for me and is just part of the lifestyle … and I love what I do — it’s an incredible way to make a living.” In his early teens, Garrett Yerigan announces the Mid-South Rodeo Cowkids Association finals in Ardmore. Photo courtesy of Garrett Yerigan.