ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — After a week of competition that featured nearly 1,500 contestants from all across the United States, Canada and Australia, the 2012 National High School Finals Rodeo National Champions were crowned recently at the Sweetwater Events Complex.

Madison High School rodeo standout Garrett Smith of Rexburg successfully defended his 2011 national all-around title, by winning the 2012 all-around championship with 1,345 points. His nearest competitor, Clayton Biglow, ended up with 1,005 points.

Winning back-to-back national titles is quite a feat, considering it hasn’t happened for 41 years.

“It was awesome to win the title again,” Smith said. “It’s special because only two other guys from Idaho have ever won it.”

One of the other Idaho national champions was Garrett’s older brother, Wyatt, in 2006.

Garrett finished third in saddle bronc riding, sixth in cow cutting and ninth overall in bull riding. He also competed in team roping with partner, Makayla Boots, but they finished out of the top 20 in that event.

For his efforts, Smith received $8,300 in scholarships, $1,500 in cash and prizes including a saddle, buckle, head stall and breast collar.

Another highlight for Garrett in this year’s  national finals was “winning the second round in saddle bronc riding,” Garrett said. “I love the event and enjoy meeting new people and the good competition.”

The week before the NHSFR, Smith competed at the IFYR in Shawnee, Okla., where he won the steer wrestling, saddle bronc and all-around cowboy titles and placed third in bull riding.

In the last three weeks, Smith has won $5,300 in cash, three saddles, three buckles and a horse trailer.

“I think he’s going to golf this week,” his mom, Valerie Smith, said.

Garrett’s break from rodeo will be short-lived, as he will be back in action Saturday at the Pioneer Days Rodeo in St.Anthony.

Garrett will be a senior at Madison High School this fall. He is three-time district and state all-around champion. He is a son of Lynn and Valerie Smith.

Boots finished third in the girls all-around race with 785 points, just 115 points behind the 2012 girls all-around champion, Mia Manzanares, of Opelousas, La., with 900 points.

Boots finished seventh overall in goat tying and eighth in pole bending. She also competed in team roping with Smith.

When asked what she liked best about the national finals rodeo she said, “Getting to meet a lot of different people and renewing old acquaintances. She said she also enjoys the level of competition at the national finals. “It makes it a little stressful but also a lot of fun,” Boots said.

Boots is the defending District 7 and state high school rodeo champion. She is the daughter of Aaron and Jodi Boots of St Anthony.

Based on their two-head average times and scores, the top 20 contestants advanced to the short round on Saturday night.

National champions were determined by their three-head average scores and earned awards that included college scholarships and prizes.