Announcer Greg Simas and Elvis. Submitted Photo

GERRY — When rodeo fans head to the Gerry Fire department’s 80th consecutive professional rodeo, July 30 to Aug. 2, they will again be guided through the exciting rodeo action by one of pro rodeo’s most skilled and experienced announcers as Greg Simas returns for his 16th trip to Gerry.

Simas, a California native, is an ex-Marine sergeant, who began his rodeo career with a five-year stint as a bull rider with the Military Rodeo Cowboys’ Association. He got into announcing by accident when the regularly scheduled announcer failed to show up, and he was drafted to fill in. Since that unexpected beginning, he has become one of pro rodeo’s most sought-after announcers. His skills are not only appreciated by thousands of rodeo fans across the country, but have attracted several big-name sponsors including the American Hat Company, Wrangler Jeans, Justin Boots and Shangri La Horse Farm

He is presently announcing nearly 100 rodeo performances across the country each year. He is only the second announcer from east of the Mississippi to appear at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. He has worked 18 Circuit Finals, the Ram National Circuit Finals in Oklahoma City, the Dodge Ram First Frontier Finals, as well as the National High School Rodeo Finals. He has also announced for the United States Hot Rod Association Monster Jam Tour and has traveled as far as Australia to emcee the Professional Bull Riders event there.

Simas says his job as the emcee each night is to not only describe the action and to interact with the clown and specialty act, but he wants to provide the fans with information about the sport of rodeo as well as the stock and competitors. To do this job well, he says he spends about three hours each day on his computer preparing for that night’s performance. He is one of the few announcers who does his job in the arena on his horse named Elvis. He says this puts him in the middle of the action where he can interact with the fans as well as the cowboys and cowgirls. He added that much of the credit goes to Elvis, who safely carries him around the arena for two hours each night in spite of the noise and arena action.

When he is not on the road, Simas loves to fish, hunt, golf and work on his Pennsylvania farm where he lives with his wife Jen, a barrel racer and a trainer of barrel racing horses. She and their two young sons will be making the trip to Gerry with him. Additional information about him is available online at www.gregsimas.com.

Painted Pony Pro Rodeo of Lake Lucerne is returning as the stock contractor and will be bringing more than 125 head of stock to Gerry where more than 200 pro cowboys and cowgirls will compete for $50,000 in prize money in the traditional eight rodeo events, which include saddle and bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping and the ever-dangerous bull riding. A free kids rodeo is set for 4 on Saturday afternoon.

Also featured are the famous beef barbecue dinners with beef cooked outdoors for eight hours over wood fires and served with all the trimmings from 5 to 8 each evening in the air-conditioned dining hall. In addition, the midway has more than 20 vendors with everything from cotton candy to fried dough and Western wear.

Presale tickets can presently be purchased online at the rodeo website www.gerryrodeo.org. Additional information is available by phone at 716-985-4847 or 1-888-985-4847.