story by Lily Weinacht
Sr. Boy World
Champion Bull Rider
Deklan Garland is a two-time NLBRA world champion, securing his most recent title at the 2018 finals when he was crowned the Senior Boy World Champion Bull Rider. “I was confident in my riding, and I’d been on a pretty good streak coming into the finals, so I had good expectations for it,” says the 18-year-old from Foster, Oklahoma. “I did a lot of training—I worked out for two hours a day and ran four miles a day. I told my dad this would be the finals I’d win. He stays on my case and makes sure I do my workouts, so a big thanks goes to him. I’ve won as much as I have in my youth career because of him making sure I’m physically fit and focused before I get on.”
Deklan won his first world title in 2016, and was the reserve world champion in 2014, his rookie year. “I’m going to do another year of Little Britches—this will be my age-out year. My goal is set on winning a third world title and going out with a bang. The Finals prepares you very much for the open shows because of all the lights and people. There’s always commotion going on, so you really have to zone it all out and focus on the task at hand.”
The third generation of his family to ride roughstock, Deklan grew up an all-around hand in the rodeo arena, but excelled in the bull riding. His dad, John Garland, rode bulls and broncs in the PRCA and is a 17-time U.S. National cutting horse trainer originally from Australia, while Deklan’s grandfather Gordon Garland was a PRCA rodeo judge who rode broncs and bulls. Deklan’s mom, Kelly Garland, ran barrels and now shows cutting horses. The family also produces Southern Cross Youth Rodeos, which they started 10 years ago as small playdays. “Now we have about 100 entries a night through all the events. We also supply bulls to COLBRA, the IFR/IMRA and other rodeos around Oklahoma,” says Deklan, who helps run the timed events and runs bulls until he’s up in the bull riding. “We produce a youth rodeo at the Doxa Extreme in August, where we pay out $10,000 plus champion buckles to the youth competitors. Last year we had 175 entries and we’re hoping to get it even bigger this year. My father’s motto here at our ranch is that ‘The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.’”
Deklan’s parents instilled that work ethic in him and his younger sisters, Kaidyn and Danika, who both compete in barrel racing, at an early age. When he graduated high school, Deklan took over his dad’s job of breaking and training 2-year-old horses, this way John and Kristina could focus on all the other aspects of their ranch. Deklan is also studying to become a registered nurse, and plans to finish his certification next May. “I have hopes of going into sports medicine later down the road when my bull riding career is over, that way I can give back to the sport I love. As far as my future bull riding goals, I’d like to win another world title in the NLBRA, then compete in the PRCA and win a couple of world titles there. After that, if it all pans out, I’d like to ride in the PBR.”
