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The gritty voice of rodeo
announcer Bob Tallman, 57, can energize
an audience simply with the rum of a
phrase or by sharing a heartwarming story.
After 35 years on the job, he has a voice
that's as familiar to rodeo fans as a pair of
well-worn boots.
“He's the greatest announcer
that ever lived,” says rodeo
producer Bob Thain of
Alturas, Calif. "He’s
just got a God
given talent.”
Tallman, of
Weatherford, Jj|g
Texas (pop. 1
19,800), is on
the road 270 days
a year announcing
everything from a
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The Voice
of Rodeo
small, two-day events to the National
Finals Rodeo (NFR), held each December
in Las Vegas.
In feet, Tallman has announced the
NFR a total of 18 times and a record-set
ting 10 consecutive years, and although he
doesn't like awards or recognition, most
would agree no one can match Tallman s
ability to bring a rodeo to life.
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“Most announcers inform,
but Bob paints a picture
with words,” says Boyd
Polhamus of Brenham,
Texas (pop. 13,507), a friend and fel
low rodeo announcer. “He also
reshaped the profession by bringing
s the play-by-play aspect to rodeo."
A Polhamus says Tallman gave
announcers the license to
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Bob Tallman, ofWeatherford.Texas, has talked his way to the top of his profession.
yet those comments most
often are reserved to “cheer
lead” competitors, not criti
cize their performance or a
judge's decision. Tallman
often cheers, “Hang on, cow
boy!” or “C’mon, let’s give
this guy a hand,” following a
competitor's rough ride.
Before Tallman entered
the profession, announcers
stuck to the basics—name of
competitor, hometown and
name of animal—but
Tallman has a unique way of telling sto
ries that endear cowboys to an audience.
At a Dallas rodeo last year, Tallman
made sure the crowd knew that roping
champion Fred Whitfield recently flew
home to celebrate his daughter’s first
birthday, even though Whitfield only
had 48 hours between his second and
third rounds ot competition.
“Now that’s what’s real
ly important in life,”
Tallman says.
In 2004, his contribu
tions to rodeo landed him
in the Professional Rodeo
“I could ride
a bucking horse
...Then I found
out you have to
dedicate your
whole life to
being a
champion.
So I thought...
I’ll just talk
about it.”
moved the family to Winnemucca, Nev.
(pop. 7,174).
“I was never very good at sports, but
I could ride a bucking horse or ride a
horse and rope, those kinds of things,"
he says. “Then I found out you have to
dedicate your whole life to being a
champion. So I thought I haven't got
For information
on upcoming
PRCA rodeo
events, log on to
www.prorodeo.org.
page 4
Cowboys Association
(PRCA) Hall of Fame in
Colorado Springs, Colo.
“I would have much
rather been there to present
to someone else,” he says.
“I’m a better giver than
receiver. But the greatest part
of this was my parents were
there to see it.”
John and Irene Tallman
raised their son on a ranch in
Orovada, Nev. (pop. 597),
but when he was 11, they
that strong a constitution;
I’ll just talk about it.”
Tallman, even with no
formal training, announced
his first rodeo in 1970, an ama
teur event in Winnemucca.
(Continued on page 18)
•American Profile