Saturday, October 6, 2007

Junior Rodeo champ strikes again

Nat Holland El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

Rodeo is life for young Lemitar cowboy Garrett Jacobs. You can't make it much simpler than that. He practices every day and it shows when it comes time to rodeo.

Garrett, age 9, competed in the New Mexico Junior Rodeo Association Championships in Gallup Sept. 21-22. He won first place in breakaway roping, step-down roping, calf riding and goat tying to walk away as the 2007 NMJRA Champion.

Garrett is following closely in the footsteps of local bull rider Jared Green, and hopes to someday surpass his ultimate hero, Ty Murray, who retired from rodeo in 2002. Murray is the only person to ever have earned seven All-Around Cowboy titles in the National Finals Rodeo.

"I don't want to quit until I'm worn out and beat up like my granddad," said Garrett. "I'll probably break bones and a few things, but it's my sport. It's what I like."

The dangerous nature of the rodeo appeals to Garret, if not to his parents Tawsha and Michael Jacobs. They make sure he wears a helmet and vest and takes reasonable safety precautions for riding rough stock.

"He would dress up as a bull rider at age 3 when the family would go to rodeos," said his mother Tawsha.

"He's wanted to do this forever," echoed his dad Michael.

Tawsha used to help with a rodeo club at Sarracino, where she teaches, when Green was a member. The club closed it doors when it was inhibited by insurance requirements.

Garrett still has his chaps from back then, but has added several more to his collection. Electric blue chaps with leather fringe, chaps with black fur and the latest addition, imitation zebra hide chaps he purchased with earnings from the Old Timers Rodeo this summer.

It's hard to deny Garrett has been successful so far, but at age 9, there is plenty of road to cover to reach his dreams. He is currently the 2007 KMXQ-FM "Cowboy of the Year", awarded by Virgil Vijil for his consistent junior rodeo performances which earned him the top spot as the 2006 NMJRA Champion last year.

His sister, Makayla, also competes in junior rodeos and has her share of awards and titles, and is the only female so far, according to Vijil, to be honored as KMXQ-FM "Cowgirl of the Year"

The hardest part is "Trying to keep up, to be competitive," according to Michael. "It's very expensive."

"If you don't win, its very hard to keep going," said Tawsha. "We would like them to go into high school rodeo and win college scholarships."

"Sometimes I have good luck, and sometimes I have bad luck," said Garrett, who keeps several "lucky items" such as a small horned toad pinned to his hat. Pointing at his dad he said, "He's my lucky touch."

Michael it seems is the one who turns rough stock into smooth riding. He deals with unpredictable stock, puts ropes on and makes sure everything is tight and ready to go for Garrett.

Part of the nature of the junior rodeos is to teach steps that progress toward "real" rodeo events. For timed calf roping, young riders first work on simply roping a calf, then progress to step-down roping (Garrett's current level), then touch roping (where the rider dismounts and has to touch the calf), and ends with full tie-down roping.

"I started calves a while back and am working my way up. I am going to be starting steers soon," said Garrett of his rough stock progression. "After riding steers it's bull riding," he added eagerly.

Garrett also expects to ride bareback, and possibly saddle broncs when he is old enough, but is willing to wait for the right time.

"I like my life. I love my life actually." said Garrett, who indeed seems to be living his dream. "It's just better to take your life step by step."

nholland@dchieftain.com

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