Garrett no longer in brother’s shadow

Thursday, Dec. 4, 1997 | 12:41 p.m.

He stands but five and a half feet tall and he's the younger brother of one of the greatest bareback riders in the history of the sport.

But don't let that fool you. Mark Garrett walks in the shadow of no one.

Garrett, 31, of Spearfish, S.D., entered the National Finals Rodeo fourth in the Crown Royal World Standings, trailing the leader, his brother Marvin Garrett, by a whopping $30,000.

But the $3.2 million NFR in Las Vegas has a way of turning things around.

The six-time NFR contestant climbed to the top of the bareback riding heap by winning two rounds and placing in six others, garnering an NFR bareback riding record of $78,517 in the Thomas & Mack Center.

While it sounds like Garrett ran away from the pack en route to the title, it was not all roses for him in Las Vegas. On the contrary, it appeared to many he had the fourth-best chance in the field of winning the crown when the 10th and final round opened. He held the No. 2 spot in the average race but...

His friend and traveling partner, Larry Sandvick of Kaycee, Wyo., had been on a rampage of his own and trailed Garrett by a single point in the NFR average standings. Deb Greenough, the 1993 world champ from Red Lodge, Mont., had placed in eight of nine rounds and appeared to have a choke-hold on the average lead. Marvin Garrett of Belle Fourche, S.D., who also travels with Mark, still had an $8,000 lead in the world standings with a good chance to move up in the average placings.

Mark Garrett not only had to go for broke in the final stanza; Sandvick, Greenough and Marvin -- who had raked in a combined 19 checks in the first nine rounds -- all had to stumble.

The unlikely happened. Mark Garrett scored 83 points, giving himself for a shot at winning the final round. Then Greenough made a solid ride only to be disqualified for not marking out. Sandvick went next and was the victim of a spectacular buck off. Finally, Marvin was called for touching his horse with his free hand.

When it was said and done, Mark took the victory lap as the round winner and won the average championship with a record 786 points on 10 head.

At last, he is no longer the champ's little brother; he's just the champ.

But true to his humble attitude, Garrett made it clear that he hadn't wanted to profit from the misfortunes of his friends, and credited his traveling companions for the success he's had in his career.

"My traveling group makes this possible; it makes coming here and having fun possible," he said just after the 10th round. "These guys are good friends and the best competitors."

Ken Lensegrav of Piedmont, S.D., rounds out the four-man bareback riding earnings machine.

When the curtain dropped in Las Vegas, the 1996 accomplishments of the group were nothing short of remarkable. Mark was the world champ with $139,868, Lensegrav was the runner-up with $113,399, Marvin held onto third with $111,875, and Sandvick was fourth with $105,221. All told, the team--and if you see them compete you know that's exactly what they are--bagged $470,363 riding bucking horses in 1996.

And the newly crowned world champ said that it borders on criminal that the quartet can make so much doing what they truly enjoy.

"I guess that's what it boils down to; you take away the buckles and money and everything else, you've still got to love what you do," said Garrett.

* World Titles: 1996 World Champion Bareback Rider.

* Hometown: Spearfish, S.D..

* Date of Birth: August 19, 1965.

* Height/Weight: 5-6/150.

* 1996 Earnings: $139,868.

* 1996 NFR Earnings: $78,517.

* Year Joined PRCA: 1987.

* NFR Qualifications: 7 (1989-91, 94-97).