They are calling him a bull riding phenom. Sonny Wylder, the young buck from Kamloops BC, has done it again, a full eight second ride with top scoring points. Last night the crowd was hoot’n and hollering as they cheered Wylder onto an eighty seven point record breaker.
Wylder demonstrated some of the most graceful riding that judges have ever seen in an athlete this early in his career. Wylder first broke into professional riding a year ago having very little experience. “Usually, it don’t take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep, but that there Sonny Wylder took to the life of a cowboy like a horse takes to oats,” exclaimed a known acquaintance.
Despite his early success, Wylder has not been fully embraced by the bull riding community and some would say his unorthodox methods are to blame. Set apart from great riders of the past, Wylder’s techniques before a bull ride have been categorized as both mystifying and spooky. An hour before every show, Wylder finds his opponent and performs a odd ritual with the beast. Curious onlookers have claimed that the man will get down on all fours and snarl, bellow and kick like a bull. This activity though uncouth, riles up the steer and once Wylder has the bull in a state of agitation he will then stare down the animal with those squinty little eyes of his. It is said that the connection he makes with the animal during this activity, helps him to be able to predict the outcome of the ride.
An obvious eccentric, Wylder also attributes some of his success to the only pieces of equipment he takes with him into the ring. “I’d like to say that Sonny is filling the shoes of other great riders, but the man doesn’t even wear shoes when he rides,” claimed a former bull riding judge. Dressed in nothing but a pair of 2 cent gym shorts and a ragged old straw hat, the hefty bull rider does not seem to miss a beat when skin meets hide. “At home, you won’t catch me wearing anything but my own thick skin,” claims Wylder. “The bull don’t wear no fancy wranglers why should I?” It’s only fitting that I should try to be more like him if I’m to learn how to dominate the win.” Apparently, the shorts and hat he wears are just a courtesy to his audience.
Wylder does not come to his workplace to make friends. In fact the closest people to him don’t progress beyond acquaintance status. An intense individual, Wylder only smiles during the 8 second window when he’s riding that steer. Wylder even makes the rodeo clowns frown as they are always left hanging with their hands in the air, waiting for a high five that will never come to pass. If Wylder is in a particularly bad mood, he will give them his famous squinty cold eye stare which has been known to make even the strongest clown in the business, break down in tears.
Wylder has his sights on the coveted gold buckle that will be awarded to the winner of the next Calgary stampede rodeo. “I don’t know those steers personally and I have heard that Alberta breeds some of the fiercest bulls to ride, but I too am a fierce competitor and have confidence in my ability to tame,” Wylder paused to glance at his itinerary for the show. “Buckwheat is the name of my nemesis. Yeah I’ll tame his ass.” The show will take place in a week and Wylder plans on eating lots of red meat as a preparatory step before the big day. It’s not known if this is the strategy for a winner, but Wylder says you gotta secure your place in the food chain before you can secure your place as a winner in this sport.
