Bull Riding, Rodeo Announcer, Wild West Show
Don Endsley was born in Drasco, Arkansas, on August 1, 1948. He began riding bulls at age 15, but his father wanted him to “do it right” and entered him in Jim Shoulders’ bull riding school. Endsley qualified for the National High School Finals and was reserve champion his senior year. After working as a disc jockey, Endsley decided he wanted to become a PRCA announcer. So, he went to the PRCA convention in 1976, where he met past RHS President John McBeth, who hired him for the Burden, Kansas, rodeo. Soon after, Harry Vold hired him to announce Garden City, Kansas. Endsley announced for Steiner Rodeos from 1977 through 1983, and he also announced at Crossett, Arkansas, and Dodge City, Kansas, for Jim Shoulders. Endsley was announcing the American Royal Rodeo when Chuck Sylvester hired him for the Denver National Western. Endsley announced the last National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Oklahoma City in 1984. He then went with Clem McSpadden to Las Vegas to put on the PRCA Banquet. In the mid-1980s, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo hired him to put together contract acts to be televised, which he did until 1995. Endsley also produced special events for the NFR. He passed away January 16, 2019.
