Announcers
Doug Mathis (Cleburne, Texas)
Ten years after purchasing his PRCA announcer's card, Mathis finally reached one of his long standing goals. And he said it was worth every minute of it.

"Every day is a good day because we get to go play rodeo," Mathis, 44, said. "When I got the news, I was on top of the world. Now it's time to go after the others. I'd like to eventually call the National Finals Steer Roping, the Pace Series Championship events and the (Wrangler) National Finals Rodeo."

Mathis, a former bull rider who travels some 50,000 miles per year over 40 weeks, makes his first trip to Pocatello, Idaho.

Although he lives in Texas, Mathis called only a handful of rodeos there in 2004. He announced the majority of his events throughout the Mountain States and Badlands circuits, ranging from Colorado to North Dakota. He was selected to announce the Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo in 2002 and 2004.

When he's not announcing rodeos, Mathis can be found on his ranch overseeing his 65 head of calves or doing radio and television ads. Mathis also has experience on the big screen, appearing with country music star George Strait in the 1990 motion picture Pure Country.

Whatever happens after Pocatello, Mathis is grateful for getting the opportunity to announce rodeos.

"The way I feel, I have the greatest job in the world," Mathis said. "I don't think there's a better job. You meet great people and see the country."

Randy Schmutz (Stephenville, Texas)
Schmutz was the first ProRodeo announcer to call the action at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo three times in a row, doing so from 1995-97.

Eight years later, he makes his long-awaited return to Pocatello.

"I'm probably as excited or more so to get back," Schmutz said. "There are so many quality announcers now that being one of the two to get to go is even a bigger honor."

Schmutz, 42, has his wife, Amber — the sister of PRCA saddle bronc rider Ryan Mapston — to thank for getting his fourth DNCFR nod. Schmutz nearly put his microphone away permanently to concentrate on raising bucking bulls on his ranch when he was persuaded to keep living his dream.

"I tried to quit four years ago," Schmutz said. "She didn't let me. I was burned out. It wasn't as exciting going 18 hours to go to a rodeo as it was before. She is what keeps me going. With our children being at ages where they can enjoy it with us, I guess I'm rejuvenated."

The Schmutz family, complete with children Cade, 9; Conner, 6; and Calli, 5, travel together when they can, going full-time in the summer months and during other school holidays.

The family survived a scare last June when their pickup had its slide-in camper blown out the back of the truck near Cheyenne, Wyo. Amber and all three children were in the camper, and Conner got the worst of it, suffering a broken collarbone and lacerated spleen that landed him in a Cheyenne hospital for four days.

"That certainly was a big scare, but as it turned out, it was a blessing," Schmutz said. "The good Lord could have taken all four of them. I'm just one of those guys who enjoys my family being with me. If it weren't for the fact that the kids were getting social exposure in school, I'd have them with us all the time."

Bullfighters
Kevin Ellis (Mount Berry, Ga.)
For the second time, Ellis is protecting bull riders at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo.

Ellis, 38, earned his first DNCFR selection in 2002. The seven-time Southeastern Circuit Finals Rodeo bullfighter also earned a spot fighting bulls at the Pace Picante ProRodeo Challenge last September in Omaha, Neb.

"I thought it was an unbelievable honor to get selected the first time," Ellis said. "To get a chance to go back a second time, it's unbelievable. I stay in the Southeast and slip out West every now and then. This is a big thrill for me to get to go back to Pocatello. It's second to the (Wrangler) NFR."

Ellis has 35 dates booked for this year, but that's just half of his commitment. Ellis, a 1998 graduate of the University of Georgia, manages the equine center at Barry College in Rome, Ga. He runs 90 head of horses and oversees the school's breeding program and equestrian team.

But fighting bulls in Pocatello is what really gets his blood pumping. At least it did when he made his Holt Arena debut three years ago.

Kelly Jennings (Shoshone, Idaho)
Jennings might see quite a few familiar faces at the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, but the Idaho native has more pressing things on his mind.

"I've been to the DNCFR quite a few times since I live only two hours from there," said Jennings of Dietrich. "I'll know a few more people in the stands than anyone, but I'm just there to protect the cowboys. As long as they're safe, I'm OK."

Jennings, 33, garnered his first DNCFR bid after nine years fighting bulls in the PRCA that featured six trips to the Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo and two more in the Montana Circuit.

"I guess patience and hard work paid off," Jennings said. "Either that, or the committee got tired of seeing my name on the ballot."

Jennings has worked some of the premier events in the Wilderness and Montana circuits, including the Oakley (Utah) Independence Day Rodeo and the NILE Pro Rodeo in Billings, Mont.

A rancher by nature, Jennings runs cows and yearlings on his property in southern Idaho. He got into the bullfighting business through working for stock contractor and 11-time National Finals Rodeo bareback riding qualifier Mickey Young.

Jennings and his wife, Karen, have two sons, Ruger, 5, and Shane, 3.

Barrelman
Mark Swingler (Austin, Texas)
This time, Swingler vows to have more fun at this year's Dodge National Circuit Finals in Pocatello, Idaho.

He admitted to being overcome by nerves during his debut four years ago.

"I was dang nervous there the first time," said Swingler, 38. "To get to go back is icing on the cake. I can actually have fun this time."

Swingler, a veteran of six Texas Circuit Finals Rodeos as barrelman, took a quantum leap in ProRodeo following his selection to the 2001 DNCFR. From there, he was chosen to work the barrel at the Winter Tour Finale — now known as the Pace Picante ProRodeo Chute-out — later that spring in Las Vegas and returned for the Wrangler NFR to perform his "YMCA" routine during opening ceremonies.

Also, Swingler has been nominated for PRCA Comedy Act of the Year and PRCA Clown of the Year.

"That certainly was a breakthrough year for me," Swingler said. "It was a huge stepping stone for a lot of us who were there."

Swingler was alluding to announcer Wayne Brooks, bullfighter Darrell Diefenbach and barrelman/specialty act Troy Lerwill. Since then, Brooks earned three selections to Pace Series events, a National Finals Steer Roping invite in 2001 and again in 2004 in addition to being named Wrangler NFR alternate announcer that same year. Diefenbach has worked the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo the last four years in addition to three Pace Series events. Lerwill has participated in Wrangler NFR openings twice and was the PRCA Comedy Act of the Year in 2002-03.

Pickup Men
Scott McClain (Lyman, Neb.)
Gary Rempel (Fort Shaw, Mont.)

Other Personnel
Secretary — Haley Schneeberger (Ponca City, Okla.)
Assistant Secretary — Jackie Higlin (Rapid City, S.D.)
Timer — Amanda Corley (Cody, Wyo.)
Timer — Roberta Sankey (Joliet, Mont.)
Specialty Act — Tomas Garcilazo (Fontana, Calif.)

Stock Contractors
Beard Rodeos — Frank Beard) (Ellensburg, Wash.)
Big Bend Rodeo Co. — Don Hutsell (Ritzville, Wash.)
Brookman Rodeo Co. — Marvin Brookman Wolf Point, Mont.)
Burns Rodeo Co. — Pete Burns (Laramie, Wyo.)
Corey & Horst Rodeo Co. — Mike Corey (Moses Lake, Wash.)
Flying 5 Rodeo Co. — Sonny Riley (Pomeroy, Wash.)
Flying U Rodeo Co. — Cotton Rosser (Marysville, Calif.)
Kesler Championship Rodeo — Duane Kesler (Helena, Mont.)
Kesler Rodeo — Greg Kesler (Helena, Mont.)
Korkow Rodeos — Jim Korkow (Pierre, S.D.)
Pinz Rodeo Co. — Buddy Pinz (Terrebonne, Ore.)
Powder River Rodeo, LLC — Hank Franzen (Wright, Wyo.)
Rafter H Rodeo Livestock — Dell Hall (Hulbert, Okla.)
Rumford Rodeo Co. — Bronc Rumford (Abbyville, Kan.)
Russell Rodeo Co. — Dan J. Russell (Folsom, Calif.)
Sutton Rodeos, Inc. — Jim Sutton (Onida, S.D.)
Harry Vold Rodeo Co. — Harry Vold (Avondale, Colo.)
Western Rodeos, Inc. — Dan Russell (Folsom, Calif.)