ProRodeo Sports News - January 10, 2020

Garrett not short on talent and proving it in 2020 IN THEIR OWN WORDS SHORTY GARRETT I had a great-uncle named Shorty that my mom thought quite a lot of. He was her uncle. My real name is Delbert after my dad’s dad. Shoot, most people don’t know my real name. They’ve been calling me Shorty since I was born. It’s pretty cool to have the kind of If we’re not enjoying it, we may as well not be doing it. He made that pretty clear right away. He’s a pretty good mentor to have. I went out there (to Las Vegas for the Saddle bronc rider Shorty Garrett has a storied family history in rodeo. Not only is Garrett the great-great nephew of nine-time world champ and ProRodeo Hall of Famer Casey

Finals) this year. I only got to go a couple nights, but two days in Vegas when you’re not rodeoing is plenty. The last time I had been was when I

family history I have. Of course, I grew up on a ranch my whole life. You just grow up

Tibbs, but he’s also had two uncles win bareback riding world titles, plus other ties to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Garrett finished 18th in the 2019 PRCA | RAMWorld Standings after earning a career-best $76,494. The 5-foot-8, 27-year- old is using last season’s success as motivation to reach his first Wrangler NFR. The last few years, Garrett has traveled with seven-time Wrangler NFR qualifier Isaac Diaz and 2019 Wrangler NFR-average winner Brody Cress. Garrett leads the early 2020 world standings in saddle bronc riding with $15,269.

around that lifestyle, and I can’t imagine growing up any other way. When I was in first grade, I remember writing down goals, and they were to be a world champ at the NFR. I didn’t know which event. At that time when I was little, I had uncles that rode barebacks, then I had uncles that rode broncs and my dad rode bulls. My uncle Chuck was a pick-up man at the Finals in ’99. My half-brother J.D. Garrett made the Finals in ’02 in bareback riding. Guys got it all around you, so you feel if you don’t do it, you’re going to get made fun of. Isaac (Diaz) is so positive. The last two years rodeoing with him, I could see myself change big time. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself – I need to do this, I need to do that. Rodeoing with Isaac has helped me a lot to stay positive and keep moving forward. Everything has worked tremendously since I jumped in the rig with him. Having fun is all part of it. That’s why we do it.

was very little watching (my uncles Mark and Marvin Garrett). I always thought I wouldn’t go until I made it. But this year I thought I’m going to break that deal and see what it’s like. I’m really glad I did because it’s just another rodeo. Of course, I’m quite a bit older so I can take stuff in. It’s definitely the biggest rodeo, it’ll dang sure get you going. You realize it’s not unachievable that you can dang sure get there. It was awesome (to see Cress win the average). That’s what keeps us so good together, we’re all so happy for each other to do well and striving for each other. It’s a team deal. We’re all competing and trying to make each other better, but at the same time, we’re happy to see one another do well. There’s a long way to go yet this season, but that start really gets a guy kicked off right and gets your motor going to keep on hustling through it, try to uphold that spot and see if a guy can carry it all the way through.

ProRodeo Sports News 1/10/2020

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