MATT MERRITT 
PROFESSIONAL RODEO AND BULL RIDING ENTERTAINER

Jody spent his first 30 years in Big Spring TX, and rodeo has been a part of his life since the beginning.  He and his brother competed in all of the timed events in junior rodeo and high school rodeo.  Being a contestant wasn’t Jody’s only connection to rodeo.  He and his brother used to play “rodeo” at their house and Jody would always be the announcer.  It seemed natural for him and other noticed too.  In 1991, just out of high school, Jody was asked to announce the local high school rodeo.  That started him being hired to announce junior and armature rodeos all around Texas.  After college, Jody decided to chase his calf roping dreams and he quickly became a PRCA card holder. 

 He competed in pro rodeo for several years traveling from coast to coast.  While on his spring run in California, he met his future wife Kelli.  He eventually moved to California and wrapped up his tie down roping career with a California Circuit finals qualification in 2003.  At that point, he shifted his focus back to his other passion and set out to obtain his PRCA Announcer card and pursue announcing as a full time profession.  Jody and Kelli married in 2005 and have been blessed to be able to build their lives traveling to rodeos together ever since.

Jody has been selected 5 times by the PRCA to announce the National Finals Steer Roping and 2 times as the Ram National Circuit Finals Announcer.  He has also announced many other great rodeos across the United States and Canada.