Rexburg cowboy competing for world bull riding championship title

REXBURG — A local man has a chance at being crowned the best bull rider in the world in the “Super Bowl of rodeo” next week.

Garrett Smith, 21, is one of 15 bull riders who will face off in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

“I can say I’ve been preparing for this all my life,” Smith told EastIdahoNews.com. “It’s a pretty big deal and a huge step in my life.”

Smith was born and raised in Rexburg. He began team roping at a young age and started riding bulls when he was 13.

While he was attending Madison High School, the National High School Rodeo Association named him the all-around champion three times – a feat no other student in America has accomplished.

“High school was pretty good to me,” Smith said with a smile.

Smith is now preparing for the biggest competition of his life. For 10 nights, beginning Dec. 1, he and his competitors will be judged based on their bull riding performance.

“The bull is scored on a scale of 1 to 50, and the cowboy is scored from 1 to 50,” Smith said. “We ride them for eight seconds every night, and the cowboy with the most points at the end of the competition is the grand champion.”

Smith said he will earn between $26,000 to $28,000 for each round he competes, and, if he wins the championship, he’ll earn significantly more.

He’s now spending the next week preparing for the opportunity of a lifetime and the chance at becoming a world champion.

“I finally reached my dream,” Smith said. “This is what every cowboy dreams up from when they’re little and can barely swing a rope. It should be a pretty dang good time.”