ProRodeo Sports News - August 7, 2020

Luckily, Gomes had his most-valued ProRodeo commodity to help guide him, his friends.

GOMES’ RODEO WINS In addition to being the 1998 bareback riding world champion, Mark Gomes notched a number of significant rodeo wins. Listed below are several of those. • The Dodge Turquoise Circuit Finals Rodeo (1997-98, 2000) • The Clovis (Calif.) Rodeo (1999) • The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo (2000) • The Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo in Rapid City, S.D. (2000)

GLORY DAYS

Gomes met Jeff Collins in college, and they remained traveling partners the entire time they actively competed. “We still talk on a regular basis,” Collins said. “I spent 13 years in the rig with him, and I can’t say enough good things about him, he’s my best bud and he’s family.” Like a best friend, Collins also ribbed Gomes. “But to travel with, I couldn’t stand him,” Collins joked. “He was arrogant and slept most of the time. I called him this Fourth of July, and he didn’t answer, so I said it was a normal Fourth for him, sleeping until 7 p.m. and then getting on.” Gomes kicked off his ProRodeo career as the 1994 PRCA Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year. He went on to set the Turquoise Circuit record of four bareback riding titles (1997, 1999-2001), which he shares with TomMcFarland (2003, 2005, 2007-08). “I think I rode better than he did, and he just thought he rode better than me, but he really helped my confidence,” Collins laughed. “Mark has no fear of anything. No fear of not having enough fuel to get there or going broke, he always had total confidence. I had a better work ethic than he did, and his confidence was better than mine. It was a good combination. We helped one another, and the good Lord put us together for a reason. You don’t hear of partners staying together for 13 years.” Their chemistry worked. Gomes notched wins at the Dodge Turquoise Circuit Finals Rodeo (1997-98, 2000), the Clovis (Calif.) Rodeo (1999) and the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo (2000), among others. Gomes broke his pelvis when Harry Vold’s bareback horse Sheep Tick smashed him against the chutes at Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days in 2000.

• The Sikeston (Mo.) Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo (2001) • The Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson, Miss. (2001) • The Dodge City (Kan.) Round-Up Rodeo (2002-03)

any cattle or land at the time, so I said I’d have to win ’em, and Jeff said, ‘That’s it, won ’em,’ so that’s where 1M comes from.” Gomes also works as the supervising operator of Grant Township in Kansas, maintaining 44 miles of road. He remains connected to rodeo as a judge, mentor and occasionally flagging local team roping competitions. “Well, shoot, I wear a lot of hats,” Gomes said. Collins is happy to see his partner’s success after rodeo. “When you get to rodeoing, you get used to making that kind of living, and rodeo paid pretty good then and pays good now,” Collins said. “He sacrificed a lot physically throughout the years to get to where he is now and is reaping the benefits, and I think it’s awesome. Good things happen to good people, and Mark has a lot of good things happening. He also had another joke about his partner. “Mark was the second-nicest guy in the PRCA; I was nicer than him,” Collins said. “So, he did win second at something.”

Gomes gained revenge in 2001, when he rode Sheep Tick at the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo to win a Wrangler ProRodeo Tour round. In 2005, Gomes was injured and had surgery. He planned to return to competition after recovering, but as the saying goes, “life happens.” “I never intended to retire,” Gomes said. “I had a blast doing it, traveling with buddies and riding bucking horses. It’s hard to find something to replace it. Race cars, sky diving, nothing competes with that. “I miss it a little bit, but more than anything I miss the family I had. I’d see the same guys every weekend, and it was a big family. When I see those people, nothing has changed. I don’t care if it’s been 10 years or 10 days.” Groundwork began on the 1MRanch in 2000 when Gomes’ friend Mike Outier, a four- time NFR saddle bronc rider (2001-04), helped Gomes start a horse-breeding program. The ranch now boasts American Quarter Horse bloodlines such as Bully Bullion and Dash For Cash. “Most people think my brand, 1M, has something to do with me being named Mark, but the reality of the time was I didn’t have any cattle,” Gomes said, adding that Collins and other friends were registering their brands and encouraged him to do the same. “Jeff ’s brand is an I and a spur, like a backwards C, so it’s I-Spur. Another buddy has one that’s a Lazy S with an OB, so it’s Lazy S-O-B,” Gomes laughed. “Anyway, I didn’t have BUILDING HIS BRAND

Photo courtesy Mark Gomes Mark Gomes, his wife, Jennifer, and his sons Conor and Colton have a successful horse- breeding program on their 1M Ranch near Nickerson, Kan.

ProRodeo Sports News 8/7/2020

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