story by Lily Weinacht
“I really love it (high school rodeo), and I love the people there and the opportunities it’s brought me and the places I get to go. It’s been a really fun time,” says Garrett Brehm. The 18-year-old team roper from Clay Center, Kansas, is sitting sixth in the KHSRA with header TW Carson. The partners roped together last year as well, only on opposite ends. “We figured he should head this year and I should heel because we rope better together that way,” Garrett explains. “I didn’t really do high school rodeo until we were at a Young Guns rodeo in Dodge City. Carson was looking for a team roping partner and my cousin volunteered me.”
Garrett’s dad, Darin Brehm, rode bulls and introduced his son to rodeo at an early age. Garrett joined the KJRA and primarily competed in ropings so he could continue his other sports as well, though roping and horses are his primary focus these days. “I got into training horses and stepping that up, so I’ve stuck with team roping and it relaxes my mind. I like the social aspect and having a good time with everybody,” he says. “I really dedicate my time to rodeo and I really like training horses, so that’s why I keep going to rodeos.
“Me and my cousin Logan Mullin have really stuck with the roping, and my mom and dad, Jennifer and Darin Brehm, have really helped me and gotten me everywhere I want to go.” Garrett and Logan, who also competes in the KHSRA, rope together often, entering Kraft Rodeos, as well as USTRC ropings, and they plan to add the KPRA and URA rodeos to their itinerary this summer. “I really like going to the Border Bash and getting to compete against the Oklahoma and kids and meet them,” says Garrett. “State finals at Mulvane at the casino was really fun and a little longer of a rodeo.”
Garrett hauls his Paint horse, Ace, to all his rodeos and also ropes on the horses he’s training. His sister, Josie (16), used to rodeo as well, and enjoys working with her dogs. Their dad trained Hanging Tree Cowdogs with the help of Charlie Trayer for several years, and the Brehms have their own Hanging Tree Cowdog, Punch.
If he’s not in the saddle, Garrett can be found finishing his senior year at Clay Center High School. He played numerous school sports until high school, including basketball, football, track, and baseball, but chose to focus on rodeo and his horse training instead. He also enjoys deer and coyote hunting, and plans to attend Clarendon College in Texas for his Ranch and Feedlot Operation Certificate. “There’s a lot of hands-on work there and that’s what I like to do. I couldn’t do college rodeo there the first year because with the RFO you have a lot of work, but if I went back the second year I could college rodeo with them,” says Garrett. “I hope I can either start my own ranch or work for someone and start training a lot of horses, and maybe even have some cattle.
“I would like to just keep on getting better and maybe make the NFR if I can, or at least extend into bigger pro rodeos. I haven’t made Nationals because TW and I started roping together in the spring of last year, so hopefully we can pull together this spring and make the National finals this year.”
