Say hi to bull rider Wyatt Gleeson if you’d like to meet a real gritty, old-school western cowboy. Situated east of his hometown of Sundre, amid the historically significant Calgary Stampede, he feels completely at home.
After spending a day in the intense Sunday sun, Gleeson got up and rode a Macza bull named Red Rocker to an 86.5-point victory. The $7200 prize for winning the round increased his Stampede bank account to $12,900, allowing him to play Showdown Sunday on July 14 in seven days.
“I had a really good bull. I’ve seen him a few times,” Gleeson said.
“It was a little bit of a rough go,” the 29-year-old says, “but that’s only half the story. That’s what the game plan was, and I felt like I made a really good ride.” However, Gleeson isn’t exactly riding with all of his strength after getting stepped on by a bull.
“I broke my foot really bad, actually kind of basically shattered it. There were some spiral fractures and some bones snapped right in half. It was a little bit of a rough go.”
“I declined to have surgery even though it was scheduled. I didn’t perform too well because I returned a little too soon. I made the decision to focus my exercise on other body parts and give it some more time to heal. I’m feeling amazing right now.” Let’s examine that chronology. April 27 was Gleeson’s foot-shattering day.
“I’ve been walking around and bearing a little bit more weight on the air cast since I removed it a few weeks ago. It doesn’t feel the best every now and then when they lean on me in the chute,” he remarked. “But if I can make a good ride then I feel better after.”
I guess that’s the epitome of cowboy tough. Gleeson won bronze in his first go-around at the Calgary Stampede on Sunday. “When I started riding bucking horses a few years ago, I did in fact win the bronze in the Calgary Stampede Novice Tour Championship.
However, this is my first time riding a bull, and I hope to find a somewhat larger one the following Sunday.” Last year, Gleeson purchased a PRCA card in order to attend some of the storied rodeos.
“These days, I don’t travel as much. I enjoy spending time with my family and doing enjoyable activities in my hometown, but I also enjoy traveling to some of the larger ones in the United States, such Pendleton, Oregon,” Gleeson remarked.
For me, Calgary resembles a hometown rodeo. Many of my relatives visit me here. I’m so grateful to everyone for their support that my phone simply explodes up when they see me on TV. It has great significance. It undoubtedly improves my attitude.”
Being too old to adjust to the additional weight of a helmet, Gleeson is one of the few bull riders who continues to wear his hat instead of a helmet. On Sunday, however, he did switch up his helmet. Usually, I wear my felt hat because, well, sometimes I don’t get off as well as I ride.
After that, I ruin my straw hats, and now they’re rather pricey,” Gleeson remarked. “But riding in a felt hat today was just too hot. I decided to try using a straw instead, and it helped me win the round, so I might keep using it next week.” Next Sunday, Nick Tetz ($26,700), Hayes Weight ($12,900), and Mason Moody ($6900) are the other Pool A bull riders scheduled to return.
Cole Reiner was the day’s top rider (88.5 points on Powder River’s Twist Tea, $7000) in the bareback riding but fell $250 short of qualifying. Leighton Berry ($17,750), Waylon Bourgeois ($11,625), Mason Clements ($8750), and Cole Franks ($8250) are the players from Pool A who will advance to the Finals.
Shad Mayfield, a tie-down roper, won the day in 6.4 seconds and secured a spot in the Finals ($7000) by coming within a tenth of the arena record. Tuf Cooper ($17,500), John Douch ($10,250), and Logan Bird ($7875) will be going with him.
For the second day in a row, saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston won the go-round (88.5 on Powder River’s After Party) and was high man of Pool A ($15,500), returning Sunday with Riggin Smith ($12,500), Lefty Holman ($10,000) and Layton Green ($9666).
Best steer wrestling time of the day was 4.5 seconds from Jacob Talley ($7000), but he was just out of the top four, including Dalton Massey ($11,500), Stephen Culling ($11,250), Don Payne ($11,000) and Scott Guenthner ($10,000). Barrel racer Emily Beisel was fastest of the day, and rodeo, with 17.10 seconds ($7000). Pool A qualifiers are Ashley Castleberry ($12,500), Lisa Lockhart ($12,000), Tiany Schuster ($11,500) and Taylor Manning ($9750).
