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Wayne Wise got his start as a rodeo announcer because of a bit of good luck.

"I was riding bulls in Florida, and my traveling partners and I went to an amateur rodeo, just to hang out," he said. "The announcer didn't show up, and one of my buddies knew the people running it."

The rest, as they say, is history.

Wise was born and raised in Craig, and he graduated from Moffat County High School in 1981.

This weekend marked Wise's third Ride-N-Tie in Craig.

"Its cool," he said. "This rodeo is fun for me because I don't get to visit home very much."

Growing up around rodeos, Wise knew he wanted to ride bulls in rodeos, but there was one small problem, he wasn't very good.

"In my bull riding career I didn't ride very well. I would have to take different day jobs to pay the bills," Wise said.

One job he had was working for a road crew as a flagger.

Wise said there wasn't a lot of traffic on the road he worked on.

Between the three cars a day he directed, Wise announce imaginary rodeos in his head.

"I announced all these big rodeos," Wise said. "I would interview myself after my big ride."

It took Wise a long time to realize he was doing better as a rodeo announcer instead of getting tossed around on top of a bull.

"I was announcing to make money to pay my entry fees," he said. "After a while I realized I was getting a check, and I wasn't getting sore."

Wise said that it was probably the "rider in him" that took so long to realize he should put down the reins and "go ahead and talk."

In his 20 years as an announcer, Wise said he has announced a lot of big rodeos.

He has been to Salt Lake City, Texas and even Paris.

"I'm leaving to go to Alaska for the second time (soon)," he said.

Wise said he loves to announce rodeos, but he would prefer to sit on the sidelines sometimes.

Wise's three children, Jessica, 13, Phillip, 12, and Aubrey, 7, compete in junior rodeos, and Wise said he likes to watch them.

"I did a junior rodeo a while back and I hated it," he said. "I want to be Dad. I get to be in the spotlight. My kids deserve a chance in the spotlight, too."

Plus, Wise said he wanted more time to spend with his children.

"My son wants me to start team roping with him," Wise said. "I know I'm going to be in the rodeo business from now on."

Wise said he's glad he isn't "one of those announcers that doesn't have the respect of the riders."

"They're never bled inside of an arena, never had five guys sleeping in a van. They really don't know what it's all about," he said.

Riders know Wise's background, which means he is accepted as an announcer who is at the rodeo for more than just a quick buck,

"People know that I've been there, that I've gone through what they are going through," he said. "They say, 'He knows what he's talking about because he's done it.'

"The best compliments that I ever get is when the best cowboys in the world know me by name and tell me I've done a good job," Wise said. "That's worth more to me than all the prize money and gold buckles in the world."

Wise said that he's going to be an announcer as long as he can talk.

"I want to be able to pick the time I quit," he said. "I want to go out when I'm still on top of my game. I don't want people saying, 'He used to be good.'"

But no matter when Wise calls it quits, he said one thing will always be true: "I'm going to be a cowboy long after I'm an announcer."