DODGE CITY, Kan. – Shorty Garrett arrived in Dodge City with high expectations with his expected dance partner, a high-scoring Frontier Rodeo horse named Frontier Medicine.

There was a mix-up with the computerized portion of the draw. Instead of being matched with a horse he scored 86 points on three months ago in Guymon, Oklahoma, Garrett learned that his mount was a colt.

“They had the name wrong on the horse, and I have no clue what 015 is other than it’s a bareback,” said Garrett, who made the most of his situation with an 85.5-point ride on the young horse to move into a share of the saddle bronc riding lead at Dodge City Roundup Rodeo. “That’s the first time it’s ever been in the broncs.

“All that was just sprung on me. Had I known that was what I had, I wouldn’t have come get on him, so it’s kind of a good accident to happen.”

He’s a virtual lock to return to Ford County for Sunday’s championship round, which features the top 12 contestants in each event from the four preliminary performances.

Here’s the thing about his experience, though: Garrett might not be in Dodge City if it weren’t for his friend, Issac Diaz, a seven-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier who won Roundup 10 seasons ago with a record 93-point bronc ride.

“My traveling partner won this rodeo, and he insists that we need to be here every year, so I tag along,” Garrett said with a laugh. “It ain’t very often that mistakes like that go the way you need them to, but this time it did. I’m pretty happy it did.”

He’s battling hard with just two months remaining on ProRodeo’s regular season. He’s been one of the sport’s elite bronc busters for the past seven years. Though he’s been to the NFR just one time in 2020, Garrett has finished among the top 20 in the world standings every years since 2019; that was the first of three times he finished 18th on the money list, finishing in that spot in 2022 and last year.

While that’s great for the resume, only the top 15 advance to the NFR, and he’s eager to return. His only visit came during the COVID season, when the championship took place in Arlington, Texas. He has yet to play for the biggest pay in the sport at its Las Vegas home. He has accumulated about $60,000 so far this season and sits 22nd in the world standings.

“It’s a good time of the year to be hot,” said Garrett, 32, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota. “There’ are a lot of rodeos out there with a lot of money added, and a guy can make a big move right now. Anybody in the top 30 right now can make an outstanding move these next couple of months.

“Rodeos are getting bigger. Every one of them is just stepping up the game and wants to be a better rodeo, and they’re bringing up the pot, too.”

Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
July 30-Aug. 3
Bareback riding leaders: 1. Roedy Farrel, 85.5 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Sum Buck; 2. Waylon Bourgeois, 85; 3. Tanner Aus, 84.5; 4. Cole Franks, 84; 5. Andy Gingerich, 82; 6. Wacey Schalla, 80.5; 7. (tie) Nick Pelke and Tucker Carricato, 79; 9. Clay Jorgenson, 76; 10. Gauge McBride, 62.

Steer wrestling: First round leaders: 1. Will Lummus, 3.7 seconds; 2. Seth Peterson, 4.0; 3. Shane Frey, 4.2; 4. (tie) Mike McGinn, Gavin Soileau and Riley Duvall, 4.4; 7. Eli Lord, 4.6; 8. Justin Shaffer, 4.7. Second round leaders: 1. Darcy Kersch, 3.8 seconds; 2. Riley Westhaver, 3.9; 3. Ty Allred, 4.0; 4. (tie) Gus Franzen and Jake Holmes, 4.2; 6. Tanner Brunner, 4.5; 7. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Seth Peterson, 4.6. Average leaders: 1. Seth Peterson, 8.6 seconds on two runs; 2. Darcy Kersh, 9.;0; 3. (tie) Justin Shaffer and Mike McGinn, 9.3; 5. Gus Franzen, 9.8; 6. Tucker Allen, 10.4; 7. Nick Guy, 11.1; 8. Riley Westhaver, 11.3; 9. Ryan Shuckburgh, 11.6; 10. Jake Holmes, 12.2; 11. Winsten McGraw, 12.6; 12. Royce Johnson, 13.1.

Team roping: First round leaders: 1. Nelson Wyatt/Jonathan Torres, 4.9 seconds; 2. (tie) Cory Kidd V/Will Woodfin and Luke Brown/Trey Yates, 5.2; 4. (tie) Blake Barnes/Lathan Dickson, Andrew Ward/Jake Long and Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 5.3; 7. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 5.6; 8. Jesse Stipes/Cordell Collins, 5.7. Second round leaders: 1. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 4.1 seconds; 2. Ryon Boatright/Jett Hillman, 4.8; 3. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 5.0; 4. (tie) Cody Snow/Hunter Koch Klay Yaussi/Kash Yaussi, 5.3; 6. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 5.4; 7. Cory Kidd/Will Woodfin, 5.6; 8. Wheston Jones/Lane Reeves, 5.7. Average leaders: 1. Cory Kidd/Will Woodfin, 10.8 seconds on two runs; 2. Cody Snow/Hunter Koch, 10.9; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Junior Nogueira, 11.3; 4. J.C. Yeahquo/Ross Ashford, 1.5; 5. Jhett Trenary/Gralyn Elkins, 11.7; 6. Peyton Walters/Tyson Thompson, 11.9; 7. Luke Brown/Trey Yates, 17.3; 8. Jesse Stipes/Cordell Collins, 21.4; 9. Jesse Boos/Reed Boos, 27.1; 10. Ryon Boatright/Jett Hillman, 4.8 seconds on one run; 11. Wyatt Nelson/Jonathan Torres, 4.9; 12. Tanner Tomlinson/Travis Graves, 5.0.

Saddle bronc riding leaders: 1. (tie) Ryder Sanford, on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Colorado Kool-Aid, and Shorty Garrett, on Frontier Rodeo’s 015, 85.5 points; 3. (tie) Isaac Diaz and Lefty Holman, 85; 5. Brody Cress, 84.5; 6. (tie) Shea Fournier and Brady Hill, 80.5; 8. (tie) Waitley Sharon and Trent Burd, 80; 10. Gus Gaillard, 79.

Breakaway roping: First round leaders: 1. Erin Johnson, 2.4 seconds; 2. Alli Masters, 2.5; 3. Aspen Miller, 2.8; 4. (tie) Samantha Haardt and Winter Williams, 3.1; 6. Jackie White, 3.5; 7. Summer Williams, 3.6; 8. (tie) Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, TiAda Gray, Shelbie Rose, Kashley Van Petten and Mable McAbee, 3.7. Second round leaders: 1. Shalee King, 2.7 seconds; 2. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 2.8; 3. (tie) Bandee Winn and Jackie White, 3.2; 5. Tomi Womack, 3.4; 6. Kelsey Hallin, 3.5; 7. Brett Woolsey, 3.6; 8. Morgan Kessler, 3.7. Average leaders: 1. Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, 6.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Jackie White, 6.7; 3. Winter Williams, 7.3; 4. (tie) Reagan David and Mable McAbee, 8.3; 6. Whitney Jennings, 9.0; 7. Bandee Winn, 9.1; 8. Morgn Kessler, 9.7; 9. Shelbie Rose, 10.4; 10. Summer Williams, 16.0; 11. TiAda Gray, 14.6; 12. Sawyer Gilbert, 16.5.

Tie-down roping: First round leaders: 1. Andrew Burks, 8.5 seconds; 2. Brodey Clemons, 9.6; 3. Quade Hiatt, 9.7; 4. (tie) Haven Meged and J.T. Adamson, 9.8; 6. Kyan Wilhite, 9.9; 7. Tyler Calhoun, 10.0; 8. Brody Stallard, 10.1. Second round leaders: 1. Kyan Wilhite, 7.6 seconds; 2. (tie) Tyson Durfey and Riley Pruitt, 8.5; 4. Tom Simpson, 8.8; 5. Richard Newton, 8.9; 6. Kincade Henry, 9.1; 7. Macon Murphy, 9.3; 8. (tie) Tyler Calhoun and Guy Raasch, 9.5. Average leaders: 1. Kyan Wilhite, 17.5 seconds on two runs; 2. Andrew Burks, 19.4; 3. Tyler Calhoun, 19.5; 4. Quade Hiatt, 19.8; 5. Riley Pruitt, 10.0; 6. Kincade Henry, 20.4; 7. Richard Newton, 20.6; 8. Macon Murphy, 21.3; 9. Luke Potter, 21.7; 10. Austin Lawrence, 21.8; 11. Brody Stallard, 22.2; 12. Grant Turek, 24.5.

Barrel racing: First round leaders: 1. Avery Ledesma, 17.15 seconds; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.22; 3. Austyn Tobey, 17.28; 4. Piper Cordes, 17.29; 5. Sabrina Ketcham, 17.41; 6. Carol Waters, 17.59; 7. Leslie Morris, 17.69; 8. Lauren England, 17.77; 9. (tie) Alex Odle and Prairie Robbins, 17.85; 1. Ruby Lightfoot, 17.90; 12. Kallie Gates, 17.97. Second round leaders: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 16.94 seconds; 2. Piper Cordes, 17.10; 3. Austyn Tobey, 17.17; 4. Ruby Lightfoot, 17.41; 5. Carol Waters, 17.42; 6. Kallie Gates, 17.48; 7. Prairie Robbins, 17.50; 8. Alex Odle, 17.57; 9. Cindy Patrick, 17.65; 10. Lori Wooten, 17.66; 11. Tristen Spivey, 17.68; 12. Lauren England, 17.70. Average leaders: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 34.16 seconds on two runs; 2. Piper Cordes, 34.39; 3. Austin Tobey, 34.45; 4. (tie) Carol Waters and Avery Ledesma, 35.01; 6. Ruby Lightfoot, 35.31; 7. Prairie Robbins, 35.35; 8. Alex Odle, 35.42; 9. Kallie Gates, 35.45; 10. Lauren England, 35.47; 11. Leslie Morris, 35.72; 12. Lori Wooten, 36.27.

Bull riding leaders: 1. J.R. Stratford, 85 points on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Kung Fu Panda; 2. Hayden Welsh, 85; 3. (tie) Qynn Andersen and Cutter Kaylor, 84; 5. Ky Hamilton, 75.5; no other qualified rides.