It’s been 43 years since Hadley Barrett first called the action at the Clem McSpadden National Finals Steer Roping. He’s back this November calling his eighth National Finals Event. The honor fits him well.

Barrett first earned the honor in 1967, just his third season in the PRCA. He followed that in 1968 by announcing the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo at the Jim Nordick Arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, just a 30-minute drive from the longtime host fo the steer roping finals, the Lazy E Arena.

This year, he is calling the action with veteran Charlie Throckmorton, an 11-time NFSR announcer who has been involved in the last 10 championships — he also announced the NFSR in 1990 and was the Wrangler NFR alternate in 1991.

Barrett, a four-time PRCA Announcer of the Year who was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1999, also announced the steer roping finals in 1987 and was one of the voices at the Wrangler NFR in four decades, adding 1976, 1979, 1983 and 2008 to his resume — of the five, four took place in Oklahoma City. He was also the TV announcer for the Wrangler NFR for more than 20 years.

“Actually I’m the the only guy that the alternate had to replace in the last go-round, because I’d already committed to doing the TV broadcast in 1983 when we just broadcast the 10th round,” Barrett said.