Meet Breakaway Roper Joclyn Arnold at the Kennewick Rodeo

For more than four decades, Roger Mooney has helped bring the excitement of professional rodeo to life. During the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo, Bri Larios of Speck Dealerships sat down with the longtime voice of the Horse Heaven Round-Up to learn how he became an announcer, what makes the Tri-Cities crowd special and what life is like after 42 years on the road. Roger also shared a few memorable mishaps from behind the microphone, explained why barrel racing and bull riding receive such big reactions and reflected on his admiration for Dolly Parton. Roger Mooney: A Career in Rodeo Announcing Roger’s career began unexpectedly in 1984 while he was a 17-year-old member of a college rodeo team. When an announcer suffered a heart attack, Roger was asked to step in and handle the announcing duties that night. That opportunity quickly turned into a career. “My freshman year in college, I did 40 rodeos,” Roger told Bri. “And 42 years later, I’m getting to stand next to you.” Since then, Roger has become one of the most recognizable voices in rodeo, traveling across the country and announcing hundreds of performances. The Preparation Behind Every Performance Rodeo announcing involves much more than simply describing the action in the arena. Roger explained that each performance requires hours of research and preparation. For an event like the Horse Heaven Round-Up, he prepares sponsor announcements, live and televised activations, contestant histories, livestock information and other details needed throughout the performance. Roger estimates that he spends between eight and 11 hours preparing for each show. That preparation also includes learning about the organizations and local sponsors that make the event possible, including Speck Dealerships. Life on the Road Although Roger says he has the best job in the world, the career comes with sacrifices. He spends more than 300 days each year traveling away from his family and three farms in Georgia. Because of that demanding schedule, Roger said he watched much of his children’s childhood through social media, videos and pictures. Still, he found a way to add his trademark humor to the subject. “I think they’re still there because I keep sending checks, and they keep cashing them,” he joked. “So evidently, everything’s okay at home.” When he isn’t traveling, Roger enjoys returning to his farm near Ellijay, Georgia. Instead of his usual cowboy hat, he may be found wearing a baseball cap—or no hat at all—while working on a tractor or relaxing by the pond with his son. What Makes the Tri-Cities Crowd Special? After returning to the Tri-Cities for approximately 30 years, Roger considers the area one of his homes away from home. Over the years, he has developed friendships and an extended rodeo family in the community. He compared the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo crowd to a rocket preparing for takeoff. “On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the fuse is lit,” he said. “By Friday and Saturday, we’re in the stratosphere.” Roger described the Horse Heaven Round-Up as the hottest ticket in the Tri-Cities, featuring “cowboys, cowgirls and you” along with plenty of broncs, bulls and rodeo excitement. Which Rodeo Events Get the Biggest Reaction? According to Roger, the Horse Heaven Round-Up offers something for fans of every age. From the opening ceremonies and displays of American pride to the speed and athleticism inside the arena, each part of the rodeo creates a different kind of excitement. He said Tri-Cities fans appear to especially enjoy barrel racing. “They love the girls, and they love the speed,” Roger explained. That excitement leads into bull riding, which typically provides one of the biggest reactions of the night. As Roger put it, once you experience bull riding, “you can get hooked on it.” Roger’s Admiration for Dolly Parton The conversation eventually turned to Dolly Parton, whose hometown region is only a couple of hours from Roger’s Georgia farm. Roger explained that his wife is from Nashville and recalled Dolly visiting her school to read to the children. He praised Dolly for her work providing books to children and families who otherwise might not have access to them. He also admired her humor, business success and ability to remain authentic throughout her career. Beyond her accomplishments as a singer and actress, Roger highlighted the many jobs and opportunities created through Dollywood and her other businesses. Most importantly, he said Dolly’s story demonstrates that a person’s beginnings do not have to determine their future. “It doesn’t matter where you start,” Roger said. “It’s where you finish that counts.” Celebrating Rodeo in the Tri-Cities From his unexpected start as a teenage announcer to becoming the longtime voice of the Horse Heaven Round-Up, Roger Mooney has spent more than 40 years entertaining rodeo fans across the country. His preparation, humor and genuine appreciation for the sport are part of what makes each performance memorable. For Roger, the Tri-Cities is more than another stop on his schedule, it's a community filled with longtime friends, familiar faces and rodeo fans who know how to make some noise. Speck Dealerships was proud to support the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo and spend a few minutes behind the microphone with Roger Mooney. Watch the Full Interview Want to hear more from Roger Mooney? Watch the full interview online to hear Roger share more stories from his 42-year announcing career, discuss what makes the Tri-Cities rodeo crowd special and reveal some of his funniest moments behind the microphone. You’ll also hear his memorable thoughts about Dolly Parton and the impact she has made throughout her life and career. Watch the Interview with Roger Mooney

The crowd may come to the Horse Heaven Round-Up Rodeo for the bronc riding, barrel racing and bull riding, but rodeo clown JJ Harrison plays an essential role in keeping fans entertained throughout the action. During the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo, Kimberly Howard of Speck Dealerships sat down with JJ to discuss how he became a rodeo clown, what goes into entertaining thousands of spectators and how dangerous the job can be. JJ Harrison's Path to Rodeo Clown JJ’s path to the rodeo arena wasn’t exactly traditional. Before becoming a professional rodeo clown, he earned a master’s degree in education and spent eight years teaching school. Although education appeared to be his career path, JJ’s background in rodeo and love of adrenaline eventually led him in a different direction. In 2005, he started working as a rodeo clown as a side gig, thinking it would simply be something fun to try. His first opportunity came from Pat Beard and Beard Rodeo Company at a bull-riding event in Vancouver, Washington. The performance went well, and JJ began working amateur rodeos throughout the Pacific Northwest. In 2007, organizers in Walla Walla wanted him to perform at their PRCA rodeo so badly that they purchased his professional card for him. Since then, JJ has entertained rodeo crowds across the country at events he considers some of the best in the world. Learning to Entertain Thousands of Rodeo Fans JJ admits that he had plenty of nerves during his first performances. Being naturally funny was one thing, but learning how to entertain an entire arena filled with thousands of people required a different set of skills. “I’m a goofy guy, but the reality is, how do I take just being a goofy guy and let it entertain 8,000 people?” JJ said. After more than 20 years in the arena, he has developed a successful combination of natural humor, experience and learned behavior. While JJ keeps a mental collection of jokes and routines he knows will work, he estimates that approximately 75% of each performance is improvised. He adjusts his comedy to the crowd, the arena and whatever happens during the rodeo. That ability to react in the moment keeps each performance fresh and ensures fans never see the exact same show twice. The National Anthem Means It’s Time to Work Many performers have a specific song or routine that helps them prepare before a show. For JJ, that song is the national anthem. Because every rodeo begins with the national anthem, hearing it has become his signal that it’s time to go to work. Even when he attends a sporting event as a spectator, the anthem can make him feel like he should be preparing to enter the arena. Patriotism is an important part of rodeo culture and something that means a great deal to JJ personally. Putting on his signature makeup is another part of his pre-rodeo routine. JJ also enjoys sharing the rodeo lifestyle with his family. His son joined him at the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo and helped operate a camera during the event. Working With Rodeo Announcer Roger Mooney At the Horse Heaven Round-Up Rodeo, JJ works alongside announcer Roger Mooney. Despite their natural back-and-forth during the show, very little of their interaction is scripted. JJ may give Roger a general idea of what he plans to do or ask him to guide the conversation in a certain direction, but both performers leave room to improvise. According to JJ, audiences can usually tell when a routine is overly scripted. Their role isn’t limited to entertaining the audience. If a contestant or animal is injured, JJ believes it’s important to be honest with the crowd, pause the comedy and allow everyone in the arena to focus on the situation. How Dangerous Is Being a Rodeo Clown? Although fans primarily see the comedy, JJ also has an important, and dangerous, job during bull riding. As a barrel man, he must position and move his barrel around the arena while watching the bull, the rider and the bullfighters. His goal is to make himself and his barrel the bull’s target before anyone else gets hit. “If something gets hit in the arena, it’s me,” JJ explained. “I don’t want a bullfighter to get hit. I want a bullfighter to be able to use me as a punching bag and hide behind it.” The role of Rodeo Clown requires timing, awareness, athletic ability and the willingness to put himself in harm’s way to help protect others. Coming Home to the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo JJ has performed at the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo for approximately 16 or 17 years. Although he travels to rodeos around the country, returning to Kennewick feels like a homecoming. What makes the event special isn’t only the arena or the size of the crowd. It’s the relationships he has built with the rodeo committee, fair board and local community over the years. With a new stadium and another exciting week of rodeo action, JJ looked forward to helping fans create a new collection of Horse Heaven Round-Up memories. Watch the full interview and learn more about JJ Harrison’s journey, his funniest costume, his favorite fair food and what it takes to have a great night at the rodeo. You can watch the entire interview with JJ Harrison online. Watch Now

The Benton-Franklin Fair & Rodeo is one of our favorite times of the year in the Tri-Cities, and this year we had the opportunity to welcome a very special guest to Speck Buick GMC of Tri-Cities. Miss Rodeo America 2026, Olivia Favero, stopped by the dealership to sit down with Frank Murillo and Ally Moore for a conversation about rodeo, life on the road, and her experience representing the sport she loves. During the interview, Olivia shares what it was like to earn the title of Miss Rodeo America, what her year traveling across the country has been like, and some of the experiences that come with representing professional rodeo on a national stage. She also talks about the GMC Denali she drives during her travels and gives us a look at life behind the crown. From Rodeo Fan to Miss Rodeo America: A Conversation with Olivia Favero Olivia grew up in Utah near Ogden, surrounded by family, farmland and horses. Her family continues to farm approximately 30 acres of land that has been passed down through generations, primarily growing alfalfa and leasing some of the property for crops such as melons, pumpkins and squash. Her connection to horses began at her grandfather's barn, where he raised Clydesdales. Although Olivia was too young to remember watching the horses compete at fairs, she remembers spending time around the barn and riding through the barnyard. Rodeo became another family tradition through visits to Ogden Pioneer Days, which also hosts the Miss Rodeo Utah pageant. Olivia first experienced the sport as a fan in the stands. Watching the pageant inspired her to imagine that she might one day compete on that same stage. "I was just a fan," Olivia said. That perspective has remained important throughout her reign because it helps her connect with spectators and welcome new fans into the rodeo community. The Moment Olivia Became Miss Rodeo America The Miss Rodeo America pageant was an intense eight-day experience without phones or family nearby. Contestants moved from one event to another with chaperones while being evaluated throughout the week. Olivia entered the competition with years of preparation. She had attended the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas for five years as a flag carrier and had repeatedly watched the Miss Rodeo America pageant. After becoming Miss Rodeo Utah, she returned to the national pageant as a spectator knowing she would compete there the following year. During coronation, Olivia was the fifth and final contestant announced for the top five. After briefly believing she had missed the cut, she had to quickly refocus for the last round of questions. She was asked how she would welcome fans and bring more people into rodeo as Miss Rodeo America. Olivia spoke about the values of professional rodeo and her own experience beginning as a spectator. She wanted fans to understand that they did not have to compete in the arena to belong in the rodeo community. Olivia described that response as her "mic-drop" moment of the competition. When the field narrowed to Olivia and Miss Rodeo Texas, she felt unexpectedly calm. She knew she had performed to the best of her ability and had shown the judges what she could bring to the role. When Miss Rodeo Texas was announced as first runner-up, Olivia knew she had become Miss Rodeo America. The victory was even more meaningful because she was surrounded by a large group of family and friends who had traveled to Las Vegas to support her. Life on the Road as Miss Rodeo America Serving as Miss Rodeo America is a full-year commitment filled with rodeos, sponsor appearances, community events and constant travel. At the time of the interview, Olivia had visited approximately 50 rodeos during her reign and estimated that she had already spent more than 100 individual days at rodeo events. During one particularly busy stretch in January, she attended 29 rodeos in just 16 days. Although much of her travel has been by airplane, Olivia also understands the demands faced by competitors who haul horses and trailers across the country. Rodeo runs year-round, and contestants often travel long distances after paying their own entry fees, with no guarantee that they will win enough prize money to cover their expenses. Despite the exhausting schedule, Olivia said her favorite part of the role is working with the many groups that make rodeo possible, from sponsors and committees to athletes and fans. "As Miss Rodeo America, you're working with the sponsors, the committee, the audience and the athletes," she explained. "It's cool to be able to meet everyone and see exactly what they do and how it helps support the rodeo". Her favorite event to watch is saddle bronc riding. She enjoys the athleticism of the horses, the different riding styles and the way cowboys use their feet and spurs to create a smooth, exciting ride. Mutton busting also holds a special place in her heart: before becoming a rodeo queen, Olivia's first experience inside the arena was riding a sheep as a young child. Olivia Favero's First Visit to the Tri-Cities Olivia's trip to the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo marked her first visit to Washington. She was excited to explore the Tri-Cities, spend time near the water and experience a community where the fair and rodeo take place together. That combination is especially meaningful to Olivia because a fair gives her more opportunities to talk with local families, visit livestock exhibits and auctions, and see the work young people put into their animals. The visit also carried a personal connection. Miss Rodeo America President Kiki Shumway has deep roots in the local rodeo and agricultural community. After Kiki visited Olivia's hometown rodeo in Utah, Olivia was excited to experience Kiki's hometown rodeo in Washington. While she was in the Tri-Cities, Olivia drove a GMC Denali provided by Speck Buick GMC. She said the vehicle had been great for the trip and joked with Frank and Ally about the possibility of being converted into a GMC driver. Her road-trip essentials are simple: beef jerky for layovers and just about any variety of tea, including green tea, black tea, sweet tea and unsweetened tea. Why Agriculture and 4-H Matter One of the most meaningful parts of the conversation centered on agriculture and 4-H. Olivia participated in a 4-H horse club beginning around age 10. Through the program, she learned horsemanship, horse science, animal care, goal setting and personal responsibility. She credits that foundation with helping her become the rider and rodeo representative she is today. She believes programs such as 4-H teach lessons that are difficult to find anywhere else. Young people caring for horses, cattle, pigs, sheep or other animals cannot simply put their equipment away at the end of practice. The animals depend on them every morning and evening, regardless of school, sports or social plans. That responsibility builds time-management skills, confidence and a powerful work ethic. Olivia also appreciates how livestock projects give children a long-term goal, from raising and caring for an animal to showing or selling it at the fair. Agricultural preservation is equally important to her. Olivia has seen farmland across the country disappear as property is sold for development. While selling may appear to be the easier choice, she emphasized that once productive ground is developed, it is difficult "if not impossible" to restore. "Don't just do something because it's easy. Do the right thing," Olivia recalled her father teaching her. For Olivia, that means protecting valuable agricultural land and supporting the farmers who continue working it despite rising costs, drought, labor challenges and unpredictable markets. What's Next for Olivia Favero? Even while traveling as Miss Rodeo America, Olivia has returned to school to complete her communications degree with an emphasis in public relations. She plans to use her work with Miss Rodeo America and its sponsors as part of an internship and hopes to finish her degree next summer. Olivia is also a licensed cosmetologist and still has additional scholarship opportunities available through Miss Rodeo America. Whether her future leads to public relations, further education, cosmetology or another path, she will have no shortage of experience to draw from. She describes herself as a "jack of all trades" having participated in basketball, cheerleading, dance, soccer and softball, attended cosmetology school, worked at a feed store, ridden horses and represented rodeo on a national stage. Watch the Full Interview with Miss Rodeo America We are grateful to Olivia Favero for visiting Speck Buick GMC of Tri-Cities and sharing her story with us. Her journey reflects the values that make rodeo and agricultural communities so special: hard work, tradition, responsibility, family and a willingness to welcome new people into the arena. Watch the full video interview to hear more about Olivia's year as Miss Rodeo America, her travels across the country, her experience in the Tri-Cities and her time behind the wheel of a GMC Denali. Watch the Full Interview Supporting our Local Community Speck Buick GMC of Tri-Cities is proud to support the Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo and the people who help keep our region's agricultural and Western traditions thriving.