(Editor's note: PRCA media release)
CODY, Wyo. - Garrett Smith of Rexburg, Idaho left the Cody/Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls with a smile on his face and a spring in his step after being crowned the 2022 champion.
Smith has been one of the top bull riders in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association on three different occasions. He qualified for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 2016 and 2017, then missed a year and was back in 2019. The next two years saw him inside the top 50 in the world standings but staying healthy and riding to his potential was an issue.
His 2022 season has been one of the best in his career. The win here was his second Xtreme Bulls championship after winning the title at the Reno Rodeo less than two weeks ago. Smith’s win at Cody came aboard Frontier Rodeo’s bull Front & Center. His 92-point score added $6,722 to his earnings and should help him secure another trip to Las Vegas for the NFR. Before he competed here, he was sixth in the world standings.
“Man, this is a great way to start Cowboy Christmas,” Smith said. “That bull threw me some surprises. I watched video of him and he was supposed to just go left. When he went right, I had to make a big adjustment. It was fun.”
Smith was one of seven men to last the required eight seconds. He will be back here to compete at the Cody Stampede Rodeo on July 3 and will be off to other rodeos in between.
“It feels great to kick off my Fourth like this,” he added. “I don’t know when I’ve felt this good, especially this time of year. It’s amazing.”
The first Cody Stampede Rodeo performance will start at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 1.
The following are results from the Cody/Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls competition, June 30, 2022.
1, Garrett Smith, Rexburg, Idaho, 91 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Front & Center, $6,722. 2, Creek Young, Rogersville, Mo., 88, $5,175. 3, J.R. Stratford, Byers, Kan., 83.5, $3,850. 4, JorDee Nielsen, Vernal, Utah, 83, $2,525. 5, Trey Kimzey, Strong City, Okla., 79, $1,641. 6, Jace Trosclair, Chauvin, La., 77.5, $1,199. 7, Hayes Weight, Goshen, Utah, 77, $978.
