story by Lindsay King
Every weekend Garrett Baldwin is on the rodeo trail, he gets lost in the diverse geography of New Mexico. The 16-year-old lives in Muleshoe, Texas, only ten miles from the border, making it easy to rodeo in the NMHSRA. “I love going all over New Mexico, in some places it is a desert, others are always green, some places are completely flat and then there are only mountains in other places.” Good people, tough competition and great destinations keep the Farwell High School junior coming back each year. “My partner, Colter Figg, is from New Mexico and we have been team roping together since the sixth grade,” said the long-time heeler.
The duo is no stranger to state titles and trips to nationals. “We have gone to nationals every year in junior high and then this past summer we went also.” Garrett’s proudest moment in rodeo is a tie between winning the state team roping title in junior high and then again in high school. A third-generation cowboy, Garrett learned from his parents, Coby and Stephanie, and his grandparents. “I started riding a horse named Tamale when I was about four. Roping was just passed down to me and I have been doing it for as long as I can remember.” Garrett helped with branding, gathering, doctoring and feeding on the LS Ranch until three years ago when his grandpa retired from it.
Coby is always in the practice pen pushing Garrett and his siblings Rustin, 14, and Makaylee, 10, to get better at their events. “Growing up with a rodeo family is good motivation because I have always tried to be better than my cousins and my siblings, especially my brother.” The brothers practice together often enough to know what the other is thinking from across the pen. “We always try and push each other to be better. Sometimes we pick on each other too much though.”
USTRC events are Garrett’s favorite to rope at, outside of New Mexico high school rodeos of course. “US ropings pay really well and the four-head format is a fun change. Gallup has a neat arena to rope in though, that is where we have state finals.” One day Garrett wants to try his hand roping at the BFI and in Cheyenne. “The arenas are bigger, the scores are longer and the steers are faster. And then on top of that I would be roping against the best of the best.”
An active member of his high school FFA Chapter, Garrett competes in the chapter conducting in the fall and horse judging in the spring. “In eighth grade my team was tenth at districts and then my sophomore year we actually made it to state.” It is no surprise that his favorite class is ag. “If we get everything done early we get to rope the dummy a little bit so I like that but my teacher, Sid Morris, is really good also. He keeps quotes on the white board. My favorite so far is nothing works unless you do.”
Following in his grandpa’s footsteps, Garrett wants to raise cattle and horses on a farm or ranch after college. “I want to rodeo on a collegiate level and try to win the CNFR. After that, I think I will go pro and make my way to Pendleton, Cheyenne and eventually the NFR.” For now, Garrett is focused on winning state again for redemption at nationals. “This year my partner and I did not do so well. Our goal is to place in the top five.”
To do this, Garrett refers to his dad’s everyday advice: don’t overthink it and pay up.
“We used to live by Kory Kuntz and I can remember watching him rope quite a bit. He is definitely my rodeo role model because he never won at it all at the NFR but he kept on trying anyways.” Before every run, Garrett reminds himself to stay calm and not to worry about how fast he will be, then he sends up a prayer. “Everything we do, in rodeo and in life, is for the Lord. That’s what matters most.”
