DUSTYN STORTZUM, Fonner Park Track Announcer

Watch the Media with John Shrader

DUSTYN STORTZUM is in his first full year as track announcer at Fonner Park, the premiere horse racing venue in Nebraska. He grew up around horse tracks, but it’s been a rather recent development that led him to his job in Grand Island. He talks about his mentor, the late Fonner announcer Steve Anderson, who helped teach him the job; also, the process of calling a race, the business and his family connections to horse racing.

SHOW NOTES:

2:00 Learning the business from the late track announcer Steve Anderson

6:30 Learning how to call a horse race

15:15 How does Fonner Park fit into the big picture of horse racing in America

23:00 You learn the horses, the names, the jockeys to call the race

29:40 Best thing about the job

34:45 How long have you wanted to do this?

40:20 How far back with your family in the horse racing business?

43:00 Talks about how tough the business can be

46:20 More details on the family, father, uncle and mother [what is an equine dentist, valet, farrier?]

53:30 What does your father think of the new track announcer at Fonner Park? [and more personal information about family]