The voice calling scores over the loudspeaker in the historic Jim Norick Arena at the 2021 National Reining Horse Association Derby was a little different than usual: it was female. In fact, it was Chelsea Sutton, who is not new to announcing, but was the first woman to grace the speakers at the prestigious event. Since then, as announcer, Sutton has helped to break the glass ceiling that sits over many of the equine industry’s largest venues.
Sutton has a blend of lifelong horse industry involvement and marketing to the business world, and she provides an experience to horse show attendees and competitors like no other.
“I believe the power I’m trusted with as an announcer comes with great responsibility—not only to announce the next horse in the ring, the score or the sponsor of the class—but to relay an energy, excitement and provide a thrill,” says Sutton. “Similar to launching a marketing campaign, the first impression is key. Whether audibly through announcing or through marketing material, my work is driven with intention and energy.”
Though her voice has announced the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show, the Run For A Million “Behind the Curtain” show, the NRHA Derby and many more, Sutton’s story isn’t one of an overnight success, but rather a woman following her passion to find her place in the equine world.
An Insider View
Growing up outside of Buffalo in Springville, N.Y., Sutton was surrounded by horses. Her father, Brian Dygert, trained horses, and her mother, Linda, ran the family farm while producing horse shows. Sutton rode and competed casually.
When her father moved into facility management, the family changed locations to North Carolina.
“I saw different parts of the country and different parts of the horse sector,” says Sutton. “It’s a different view depending on if you’re looking through the lens of an event producer, facility manager, or exhibitor. My parents, as horse show producers, allowed me to understand the business of the equine world much younger than most.”
Sutton’s high school and early college years were spent in North Carolina, and were transformational for her future career. She was often the “go-fer” at events her parents worked, including the now defunct but once prominent Carolina Classic in Williamston, N.C. The 2009 event, under Todd Knerr’s management, became her first announcing gig—though it wasn’t planned.
“I had just finished my freshman year of college, and was hired as a scribe at the Carolina Classic,” says Sutton. “The day before the show, the announcer didn’t get off the plane, so the show’s leadership said I was up! I was scared to death but also stimulated by the challenge.”
The experience lit a spark in Sutton, who drew on exercises she learned as a cheerleader in high school to project her voice and alter her pitch. Through college, she announced three or four events a year, but didn’t know if it could be a long-term career.
Marketing Maven
Sutton completed a degree in Entrepreneurship and Business Management from Arizona State. As with most recent grads, she started a 9-to-5 job, and kept a few announcing jobs on the weekends. One such job altered the course of her career.
“I took a Friday off of work to announce a horse show after I’d hit all my sales goals for work,” she says. “A few weeks later, leadership called me in and made me pick [between announcing and my day job]. I walked out of their office and never came back.
“I was scared to death! I felt passionate enough about announcing that I wasn’t ready to quit. I called my father, crying, and he reminded me that I had a marketing client, and that flexibility would allow me to work horse shows. That was the beginning of my journey to professional careers in announcing and marketing.”
Sutton launched a marketing company in 2012, and in 2016, her husband, Travis, joined her. Today, her agency, ConsultMent, has six U.S.-based staff and a handful of international employees working with restaurants, entertainment companies and equine brands. For Sutton, marketing and announcing share many similarities.
“Announcing national horse shows gives me exposure to complex teams, high-pressure timelines, and the exhilaration of live events, which has made working with entertainment brands like Andretti Indoor Karting and Games seem like no big deal,” she says. “On the flip side, working with marketing teams to utilize language to frame a situation and change perspective has given me a huge leg up in announcing because when you have to deliver a challenging message over the mic, having the skills to adjust your verbiage and ensure your tone is appropriate—that is a skillset that came from marketing. God is a bridge-builder and took two things and wove them together in my life.”
Her unique outlook on announcing brought her to the attention of the 100X Shows staff, who hired her to announce the inaugural 100X Classic in Tulsa, Okla., in 2023. Then, she went on to work with the company in a new, groundbreaking capacity: Sutton was the 2024 Voice of 100X.
“When you feature women in prominent roles, such as announcers, it can inspire and encourage future generations of women to pursue similar opportunities,” says Carter Smith, co-founder and principal of 100X Equine. “Because of Chelsea’s talent, professionalism, and knowledge of the equine industry, she was the perfect fit for the voice of 100X Shows.”
In 2024, 100X Shows produced four events: in Fort Worth, Texas; Paris, France; Waco, Texas; and Tulsa, Okla. Sutton not only announced them, but also lent her experience to the overall production of the events.
“It’s my pie-in-the-sky announcing opportunity—a year-long contract with 100X Shows as the voice of 100X,” Sutton says. “While the NRHA Derby was an honor because it came with history and prestige, these events are a blank canvas. This is by far the experience of a lifetime.”
Fierce First Impression
The streak of pink in Sutton’s hair matches the bubble-gum pink blazer she wears, brightening her corner of the arena at the National Reining Breeders Classic. The look isn’t by accident.
“Fashion and style have always been an opportunity for me to make a first impression, even before announcing,” she explains. “I grew up around a lot of artistic people, but I have not one artistic bone in my body. I find joy and inspiration in colors and accessories. I lean toward bright colors in my hair and clothes. Now I look back and realize that is my creative expression.”
Though Western fashion norms aren’t quite as forward-thinking as some of Sutton’s looks, the attire doesn’t diminish her professionalism, nor does it take away from her industry knowledge.
“It has been a unique dance to weave my style into the Western world,” she says. “I appreciate and respect traditional Western fashion, but I don’t wear it every day in my urban area outside of Scottsdale. I want to bring my own creative approach to Western fashion.”
Sutton is breaking into arenas that have previously been closed for women, setting an example for others, including her young daughter.
“Status quo is never enough,” she says. “I’m always looking at my goals, but I’m looking at them differently since having Shiloh. Now I’m asking myself whether the work I can do for an event or organization will make a lasting impact on the industry.”
This article about Chelsea Sutton appeared in the April 2024 issue of Western Life Today magazine. Click here to subscribe!
