Menu
New announcer for Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo excited to be here
SIKESTON — Anthony Lucia of Brock, Texas, is a well-known announcer in the rodeo circuit, and fans of this year’s 72nd Annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo are getting the chance to know him, too.
This week the 39-year-old Lucia is announcing Sikeston’s four-day rodeo, which ends Saturday, Aug. 10, for the first time in his career — an opportunity he was happy to accept.
“Getting to come to Sikeston is just huge,” Lucia said. “It’s one of the top rodeos in the world, money-wise, people-wise, entertainment-wise. Whenever I was asked to come to Sikeston, that was awesome.”
Lucia’s dynamic announcing style, as well as his skills as a trick roper and rider, have helped him establish himself in the rodeo world.
Lucia said he grew up traveling and working with his father, ProRodeo Hall of Famer Tommy Lucia.
“I grew up in professional rodeo and my dad was a specialty act; he had a monkey that road a dog that was named Whiplash,” Lucia said.
Lucia said he began attending rodeos at a young age, learning trick roping at the age of 9 and team roping shortly thereafter.
Lucia said he began working behind the microphone when he was 18 years old.
“Just whatever needed announcing, I was announcing it,” Lucia said. “I didn’t like it at first, but after two rodeos in announcing, I began to love it.”
And once he gained more and more experience, Lucia said he genuinely started to love it.
“If you think about it,” Lucia said, “when you’re talking for two hours or three hours, the audience has to relate to you. They have to like you, and they have to listen to you. That can be a lot of pressure at times, but now I see it as an opportunity to make friends with thousands of people while they are watching the greatest show on earth — and that’s rodeo.”
Lucia’s dedication and hard work paid off, as he was named one of the top five PRCA Speciality Acts of the Year from 2011 to 2013 and performed at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo from 2010 to 2013.
Lucia received his PRCA announcer card in 2011 and was most recently named 2023 PRCA Announcer of the Year. Lucia said he is now performing at 135 rodeos this year.
According to Lucia Sikeston, Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo is well-known in the rodeo world.
“I had always heard of the Sikeston rodeo,” Lucia said. “I always heard that it’s the most fun place in the world.
Lucia continued: “Yes, it can be hot here, but I’ve always heard it’s just a fun place. The way that the community and the fans embrace rodeo is like no other is what I had always heard.”
Lucia expressed his excitement and gratitude to be the announcer for this year’s Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo.
“The Jaycees and everybody are so welcoming,” Lucia said. “It literally feels like I have known them my whole life.”