4 minute read
Alumni FeAture: chAd nicholson
teXAns
A Golden Voice
WPRA honors alumnus with prestigious award
— Ch AD n i C hol S on, ‘92
By Ch A n D r A An D r EW
Before a gate ever swings open, a barrier breaks, a clover-leaf pattern is run or clowns hop in barrels, the crowd is captured by the sound of a voice—the announcer. Regardless of venues, announcers have the ability to draw audiences in with their charisma, knowledge and quick wit.
Chad Nicholson epitomizes everything that makes a great announcer. Not only does he make a point to do the extra work that goes into putting on an event, but he is also blessed with “the voice”—the kind that has you on the edge of your seat listening in anticipation of what is to come.
For more than 23 years, Nicholson has been the man with the microphone for more than 35 rodeos and events held each year, including many Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) rodeos. In honor of the exceptional efforts Nicholson puts in promoting and announcing at WPRA rodeos, he was selected as WPRA’s Announcer of the Year for 2015.
“Receiving the award was as much of a shock to me as anyone else,” Nicholson said. “I don’t go around looking for awards. I just do my thing. But when I got the call, I was driving home and about ran off the road when she told me I had been selected.”
For Nicholson, receiving the award from an all-female rodeo organization has even more meaning.
“I’ve dedicated my life to empowering young ladies through what we do here at Riata Ranch,” Nicholson said. “I love to see women actively involved in mainstream sports, like rodeo. I’m honored to have this selection from the WPRA.”
Riata Ranch International is a girls ranch located in Three Rivers, California, which is where Nicholson and his wife, Jennifer, call home.
Another group calling the ranch home are the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls. The group is a trick-roping, trick-riding group that is instructed and choreographed by Jennifer.
“My wife has been involved in the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls since she was young,” Nicholson said. “We are one of the foremost western performance arts schools on the planet. Our girls have been nominated PRCA Act of the Year four times and worked the National Finals Rodeo five times. The group also performed for Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle in England for the Queen’s 60th Diamond Jubilee.”
Nicholson and his wife met later in life and never had children.
“Now we’re surrogate parents to a bunch of really cool young ladies,” he said, “and it is wonderful.”
For all of his travels and successes, Nicholson is quick to acknowledge that he wouldn’t be where he is today without Tarleton.
“I credit it all back to my Tarleton roots,” Nicholson said. “That’s where I really fell in love with the rodeo business. I got to see it, how it worked, up close and personal as a contestant.”
Nicholson grew up in Carrollton, Texas, and was involved in FFA and rodeo in high school.
“One of my ag teachers was a Tarleton alum and we would go to Stephenville for judging and leadership contests,” he said. “I wanted to be an ag teacher and Tarleton was the clear choice.”
Once Nicholson got to Stephenville, it wasn’t long before he decided competing in rodeo might not be in the cards.
“With the level of talent here, I figured out pretty quick I wasn’t going to be a world champion,” he said. “I entered a few rodeos and enjoyed it, but couldn’t compete on that level.”
Fortunately for the rodeo team, Nicholson chose to stay involved and helped with fundraisers for the rodeo club. He also became heavily involved in the Plowboys, including serving as president for two years.
“I was president when we started Bull Fest in 1992,” Nicholson said. “We raised a lot of money and helped a lot of places in town. One of my goals in being part of the Plowboys was to build an event like Bull Fest that could be a landmark event that would raise a lot of money.”
It was also at Tarleton where Nicholson met Randy Schmutz, who is one of the top announcers in the industry.
“Randy was very instrumental in my career, giving me good advice, mentoring me and throwing me some work,” Nicholson said. “It was because of Randy’s example that helped me decide to do the same for other people wanting to be announcers.”
Nicholson is now in his 11th year putting on his rodeo announcer school, where he focuses on the magnitude of an announcer’s role.
“The job of an announcer is much more than being the voice of an event,” he said. “You’re the ambassador of the show. It isn’t just the rodeo; you’ve got to be able to give the sponsors a return on their investment.
“I mentor and coach my students once they come and after for as long as they need me. I get as much pleasure mentoring other people as I do working a show.”
