Talented announcer makes the right calls when it comes to state fair event

SALT LAKE CITY – When Garrett Yerigan walks around Utah State Fairpark, the sights, sounds and smells are familiar.

“They just bring that special feel,” said Yerigan, the voice of Utah’s Own Rodeo who will call the action during this year’s affair, set for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, and Saturday, Sept. 7, with the final performance at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, in the Days of ’47 Arena at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City; tickets can be purchased at UtahStateFair.com/tickets.

“It’s like a family feel, at least to me. When you set foot on the grounds, you can feel the 4H and FFA livestock shows and their families over there helping ensure the success of the exhibitors. When you look out there across the grandstands, you see families that come to the rodeo. If you walk on the midway looking for something to eat, you see a bunch of families, so it’s just a really cool atmosphere to be part of. It also ties the whole state together.”

This is one of several state-fair rodeos for Yerigan, who was raised around the sport by two competitors: His bulldogging father, Dale, an 11-time International Professional Rodeo Association world champion and the organization’s general manager, and Kathy, who qualified several times for the IPRA’s championship. Garrett Yerigan was just a couple weeks old when attended his first rodeo.

The passion and the love for the game just soared from there. He was about 6 or 7 when he began announcing, and by age 12, he was calling the shots at a once-a-month barrel race. It wasn’t long before he was announcing the Oklahoma High School Finals Rodeo in his home state.

“I wholeheartedly believe this is what God put me on Earth to do,” Yerigan said of his announcing career.

Divine intervention helped with his God-given talent, but Yerigan also takes to his craft as any professional. He works hard at the job, and it shows in his preparation. This will be his third year as Utah’s Own Rodeo announcer, but it will be his first time on the microphone by himself. Each of the previous two years, he worked alongside veteran Mike Mathis, and the tandem made each transition seamless. Mathis, though, died this past December, but his memory will continue to live inside the arena.

“I don’t know how many years Mike was there, but he was such an integral part from not just being the announcer, but that he has his finger on the pulse of Salt Lake City,” said Yerigan, the 2021 and 2022 PRCA Announcer of the Year. “He knew everybody around there, and he knew how things operate.

“It will be a major void there, because he still had a lot of knowledge that I am still trying to figure out in my short time there. It will be a little bit somber at times when we all show up and Mike’s not there with us. I enjoyed the two years I got to work with Mike. I thought our styles complemented each other. Any time you get to stand alongside a guy that’s been the places he’s been, done the things he’s done, seen the places he’s seen, there’s always wisdom you can pick up.”

That wisdom comes in handy. Each experience lays the foundation that can be used at a later time. It’s something Yerigan has been doing since he was a child.

“Garrett is one of the most intelligent guys you’ll ever meet,” said Matt Merritt, one of the clowns who will be working Utah’s Own Rodeo. “He has a lot of talent, and he’s very well-spoken. He doesn’t miss a beat.”

That’s vital, especially when it comes to rodeo production. Yerigan must understand the ins and outs of every performance, from the bucking stock to the cowboys and cowgirls in the competition. He can explain the match-ups and the talented hands getting ready to perform, and he does so in a way that makes it easy to understand by the audience, whether they’re rodeo-savvy or just out for an enjoyable evening at the Utah State Fair.

“That rodeo has a lot of history and tradition,” said Yerigan, who now lives in Weatherford, Texas. “The combination of it being a fair rodeo and being a Utah rodeo, it’s got such a recipe for success. Anybody that’s been to a state fair rodeo knows there’s just something a little extra in the air with the family feel and the lights and sounds of the carnival and the smells of the food.

“When you add the reputation of Utah crowds with their energy, it’s a really fun event. They’ve been having great growth the last couple of years, so it’s cool to see that rodeo on the rise and getting some attraction from not just the fans but the contestants as well.”