ROGERS — After the lights dimmed and were eventually shut off at this year's annual Show and Celebration for the Missouri Foxtrotting Horse Breed Association in Ava, Mo., Bob Crafton of Rogers turned off his announcer's microphone for the last time, ending the chapter of his 35-year announcing career.
"When (Crafton) is announcing, it is not his voice, but it is his character thatcomes through. He is the kind of person that everyone wants their daughter to meet," said Jim Mann, president of the Missouri Foxtrotting Horse Breed Association.
For the past 19 years, Crafton, a retired civil engineer and co-founder of Crafton, Tull and Associates, has spent a week out of each year in Ava, Mo., announcing for the foxtrotting horse show.
Mann and Crafton first met each other at another horse show in Dexter, Mo.
"When I first heard him, I thought, my goodness, what a voice," Mann said.
Luckily for Mann and the foxtrotters, Crafton made a mistake and told thosegathered in Dexter, Mo., how much he was enjoying the town of Dexter, which eventually led to Crafton announcing for the foxtrotters in Ava, Mann said.
"(Crafton) has always said the good Lord gave him the voice and the ability to communicate with people, so he was going to use it," Mann said.
Looking back on the last 35 years of announcing, Crafton cannot help but remember all of the people he met along the way.
"It has just been fun. I have met a lot of good friends and good people, but this is it. I am retiring," Crafton said. "They are putting me out to pasture."
While Crafton may no longer be seenin an announcer's booth, he will not exactly be sitting idle either.
"I am going to be busy. I am not going to be sitting in a rocking chair or anything," Crafton said. Crafton remains activein his church, the First Baptist Church of Rogers, and is a member of the Rogers Airport Commission, though most of his time will be spent with his 16 grandchildren, he said.
Crafton's absence in the announcing booth will be felt for many horse shows to come, Mann said.
"He will be replaced as an announcer, but he will never be replaced as a person," Mann said.
Accents, Pages 18 on 09/20/2009