Professional rodeo announcer Boyd Polhamus sees a lot of similarities between the sports of wrestling and rodeo. Polhamus grew up competing in both sports.
Rodeo & Wrestling
Former wrestler Boyd Polhamus makes his mark as one of the premier rodeo announcers in the United States.
By Samantha Sieracki Wrestling fans have an appreciation for
talent when it comes to the public address announcers at major competi- tions. Whether it is Ed Aliverti, Sandy Stevens or another respected person on the microphone, wrestling people like to be entertained.
Rodeo fans have a similar ear when Boyd Polhamus, the voice behind this rugged American sport, is in action. Wrestling fans can take pride in him as well, since he was a wrestler, too. Announcing for these legends goes beyond the surface of informing the crowd about the event. Polhamus creates a personal tie between the athletes and the fans; he informs them of the stories that make each individual unique. “I want to make people connect and have a personal attachment to the cow- boy. Their story lines need to be exploited to make people fall in love with the ath- letes. I make them feel like they personal- ly know them,” said Polhamus. Living a life filled with both wrestling and rodeo, Polhamus is the first to accent on the correlation between these two rugged sports.
36 USA Wrestler36 USA Wrestler
“Rodeo is about conquering a beast that is ten times the size of you; it’s a battle, much like wrestling.”
- Boyd Polhamus
“Rodeo is about conquering a beast that is ten times the size of you; it’s a bat- tle, much like wrestling,” explains Polhamus. Wrestling and rodeo have much in common. Many rodeo athletes also wres- tled. Typically, these athletes will carry the same composure in the arena or on the mat. “Wrestlers expect to win, so you don’t see the celebration. If they win, they walk off confident like they’ve been to the end zone before,” Polhamus said. Whether it is six minutes on a mat or eight seconds on a bull, the mental and
physical intensity displayed in these two sports is comparable to each other. “In the end, it’s all on you. Nobody can help you! It shows what kind of fire burns inside the man,” explains Polhamus. The intensity, emotion and demands of these grueling sports transforms a typical group of competing athletes into a family. “There’s a mental attitude, a comrade- ship amongst the team. It’s a team sport, but you’re out there for yourself. “Cowboys are trying to beat the horse, not each other. Wrestling is the same way; you’re not competing against your team,” expresses Polhamus. Polhamus began his wrestling experi- ence in the fourth grade in Wisconsin through a club and continued to compete throughout high school. Still to this day, one of the most influen- tial figures in his life is Chris Curtis, his high school wrestling coach. Curtis, who now lives in New Jersey, is one of the nation’s top wrestling referees. “It’s tough to put into words how much I admire Chris; he was always a great technician and mentor,” explains Polhamus.
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