Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Now You’re In The Money!
WREN ANNOUNCES LINCOLN RODEO THIS WEEK AUG. 8-10
LINCOLN — A cowboy sits atop his horse waiting for six seconds to expire during tie-down roping and Brandon Wren dutifully fills the void.
If the qualifying time is fast enough, Wren informs the contestant along with everyone else throughout the arena, “Now you’re in the money.”
Wren’s job, as professional rodeo announcer, means keeping the crowd up-to-date and entertained throughout many breaks from rodeo action. His presence plays an integral role while conveying personality and injecting humorous insights into the event. His skill becomes essential to a rodeo’s success much like the proficiency of a roper settling a lariat around a critter dashing away.
Announcers keep fans focused by filling downtimes during the rodeo. A good announcer highlights the accomplishments of cowboys and cowgirls with enthusiasm pointing out the bravery of humans on horseback engaging critters, some with ornery dispositions like bulls that don’t want to be ridden by anyone.
Wren has done his job so well that he’s almost become something of a regular announcing the Lincoln Rodeo, returning again this year after doing the honors in 2017 and 2018.
The 2019 Lincoln Rodeo is co-sanctioned by the ACRA and IPRA. Wren maintains a familiarity with rules from both organizations, contestants and rough stock, categorizing each in his mind as he introduces the next event.
ACRA sanctioned rodeos must have at least six of the eight standard events, defined as original events offered at the inception of the association. The events are: bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, tie-down (calf) roping, team roping, steer wrestling, and cowgirls’ barrel racing. Ladies breakaway roping was included as a standard event starting in the 2015 season.
According to his biography posted by the Lincoln Riding Club, Wren hangs his hat in the small town of Haskell, Okla. He has been married to his wife Tabitha Wren for 20 years. The couple have two daughters, Makayla and Madison. Makayla goes with her dad to rodeos, mixing the sound and playing songs.
Wren has been around rodeo all his life. When he is not involved in rodeo, Wren enjoys watching his girls play sports, and he is a volunteer for Wagoner County, Okla., Emergency Management.
Wren was honored as Bull Riders Inc. Announcer of the Year for 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. He served as the L.J. Jenkins Bullriding Tour Finals announcer. He won the American Cowboys Rodeo Association Announcer of the Year for 2014, and was the Midwest Bullriding Association 2014 announcer for the finals.
The projection of Wren’s voice enables a rodeo fan thirsting for action to drink in all of the sights and sounds in the arena with a fresh taste of enthusiastic high energy, impressing both the thrills and danger of the sport in the minds of the spectator.
Announcers utilize their expertise to provide the gift of a soundtrack to accompany visual images rodeo fans treasure.
A full schedule may take a professional rodeo announcer like Wren to about 40 venues a year which translates to 170 performances. The job is busy, involving frequent travel. Some announcers are on the road between 260 and 280 days a year and look forward to interacting with fans during each rodeo performance.
“I hope to see you somewhere down that rodeo trail,” Wren says.
Fans are invited to come get their fill at the 66th annual Lincoln Rodeo.