story by Siri Stevens
“I’ve had a great couple weeks,” said Lemitar, New Mexico, cowboy Garrett Jacobs. Garrett made his first trip to the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Oklahoma, as part of the Bloomer Team. He left that rodeo as the All Around Cowboy and the Tie Down Roping Champion. He made his third trip to the National High School Finals and left there as the Reserve All Around Cowboy. Garrett had one goal this year. “I wanted to make it to the short round either at Shawnee or Gillette.”
Garrett competes in tie down roping, steer wrestling, and team roping. He was part of the New Mexico Junior High and High School rodeo and focused his last year on his physical and mental strength. “It was me, not the horses that needed work,” he said of his past trips to the National High School Finals. “I practiced a lot in the arena, and worked hard on being physically and mentally tough. I worked out so I could be stronger in the steer wrestling and flank bigger calves. I also worked on footwork.” Garrett goes to the gym five days a week, for an hour and a half at a time, working on routines that soccer and football players use. “I eat five eggs every morning and drink protein shakes,” he said. “I’m 6’4” and weighed 165 last year, now I weigh 204; getting bigger really helped me out.”
The Psychology of Winning and Mind Gym are the two books that Garrett read that helped him the most. “The books taught me to look at life in a different way. If you’re not winning or succeeding, you’ve got to change something. You can be just as good as anyone else and if you really work hard at something, you should succeed. And if you’re on top, you have to stay humble and be yourself. The most important thing I learned is that you have to have fun doing what you love.”
It all came together for the 18-year-old this year. “I dang sure couldn’t have asked for any better, that’s for sure.” Garrett has been rodeoing since he can remember, competing in all the 8 and under events – sheep, calves, breakaway – “I even tied goats.” His mom’s family competed in rodeo, and his sister, Makayla, won the National Junior High Finals in the pole bending in 2008.
Garrett will be a freshman next year at Weatherford, Texas, studying science. “I want to get my two year degree and rodeo, and hopefully come out ahead. Then I want to get into range management.” He will be hauling five horses with him to Texas, a couple team roping horses and a couple calf roping horses, and his bulldogging horse, Billy. “In my mind, he’s the best bulldogging horse out there; scores great and runs hard. I’m glad to have him.” His calf roping horse is new to the herd. “We just got Folsom from my Uncle Rob (Jacobs) three months ago. He’s a great horse; he did his job.”
The IFYR impressed Garrett. “People treated me real well and it’s as good as Nationals – I had good stock all week.” He is going to save his money for school and will take his saddles and put them in his new house. “It’s lacking leather,” he said.
