Wrangler Dunda began his bull riding career a little earlier than most.
At age 2, his father Gary took him to a rodeo and placed him on the back of sheep. A toddler, Wrangler believed he would just there for a photo opportunity. Instead the gate open, and thus commenced his rodeo career.
Then again, for the Dunda’s, bull riding always has been.
“That’s all our life has been since the day we got married,” Gary said. “It’s always been about bull riding. It didn’t change when Wrangler was born.”
Gary started riding bulls at 14, and he didn’t retire from the sport until last year at 47 years old. So it’s of little surprise that Wrangler took to the family craft quickly. Wrangler advanced rapidly from sheep to calves and started mounting professional-level bulls when he was 12.
While most children rode little springed horse toys as a child, Wrangler’s was in the shape of a bull. Father and son loved riding and conversations at the family table rarely strayed far from the inner workings of the sport.
Like most children in Odessa, Wrangler played football growing up, and he competed in both sports through junior high. But eventually Wrangler’s football coach gave him an ultimatum, football or rodeo. Too often Wrangler’s riding events conflicted with games.
Wrangler didn’t mull over the decision for long.
“That was the end of my football career,” Wrangler said with a laugh.
Wrangler said both football and riding rely on toughness and taking hits, but with one subtle difference on the blows.
“Its 200 pounds as opposed to 2,000 pounds,” Wrangler said. “A lot of people say we’re crazy that it is what we’re doing for a living. But it’s our dream.”
Wrangler started riding in professional events shortly after hopping on his first bull and found instant success on a local and state level. At 18, Wrangler began traveling the country on the Championship Bull Riding (CBR) circuit. He won a few events along the way and finished third in the world in 2011.
Two years ago Wrangler made the switch to the PBR circuit, chasing more lucrative purses against a significantly upgraded talent pool. Wrangler struggled a little to adjust at first, but he believes he’s riding a lot better this year. Notably, he began running a few miles a day to improve his endurance and moved away from home to Oklahoma so he could be closer to better practice bulls and many of the events.
Life on the road can occasionally be tough, and Wrangler was thrilled to make a return trip home.
“It’s neat when I go home and have my dad back there with me,” Wrangler said. “It’s like I’ve been doing my whole life.”
Outside of his dad Wrangler has never had a bull riding coach. While the elder Dunda advises Wrangler to seek wisdom from other riders, Gary is still is the first to tell Wrangler if he committed an error during a ride.
“Every bull he gets on, every video we watch, we analyze every bit of it,” Gary said.
Wrangler had little luck Saturday in the Invitational, he took two rides but failed to stay on a pair of squirming bulls for the required eight seconds.
Gary started riding all of those years ago and says Wrangler rides “100 times better” than he ever did, no matter the finish Saturday. Gary could not be more proud watching his son Saturday evening. Being around his son and watching him ride, those are the moments he really cherishes.
“For a dad to see a son succeed in the same business he used to be in and do it better, there is no feeling to describe it,”he said.