D L I W HING T Fans, riders, and the public get really excited about the Wild Thing. What is it you do that creates this energy? In my own nine years of traveling and riding bulls around the country, I have brought the most exciting pieces and parts to Wild Thing from all of that. And with my warped and off-the-hook imagination, I have come up with and tried to add nothing but gladiator-exciting parts to Wild Thing. There is something at the show for you no matter what age you are; you don’t even have to be a bullriding fan to enjoy the show. Also, it is exciting to find and work with some of the top people from the industry to help bring what I envision into that arena for the crowd.
The Wild Thing runs smoothly, the stands are packed, and everyone knows it is happening. How long before opening night do you have to start preparing? Also, how many people does it take to make the Wild Thing happen? It’s a real trick for a show of that nature to run smoothly. (How would you like to choreograph and put on a show when you are dealing with over fifty head of eighteen-hundred-pound bucking bulls, who don’t mind very well?) But with all the top people from the industry and great people helping me, that is what makes it all happen. The performance end has about 40 people who bring everything together, and with concession and parking help that the Manuelito Children’s Home handles, you end up with over
50
July 2018
An Interview with Larry Peterson
100 people. Some things will start the very week after Wild Thing ends in preparation for the next year, part-time for half a year, and full-time for half a year, and off-the-hook crazy for the last month leading up to the show.
bullrider actually does it. For our area here in the Southwest and the Navajo Nation, we have a lot of good bullriders. And I guess most people call that crazy, because if you don’t do it or can’t do it, I guess that would be the word you would use.
I don’t know if such a person exists, but if this is someone’s first time to the Wild Thing, what is the best way to get the full experience?
It is all about being entertained. Looking ahead, do you see this event changing, and what would that look like?
Bulls are scary, mean, and can cause some serious damage. Most of us think the guys who get on them are crazy. You have been around this stuff forever, what are some of the common characteristics these bull riders have?
You have had enormous success with the Wild Thing event, and it is such a good thing for our town. Do you have ideas or think about doing other events?
Show up early; get there before 7:00pm. We have lots of good music and pre-entertainment. Go to the t-shirt booth, meet the Wild Thing girls, and check out all the great merchandise. Be sure and visit the concession stand and get some food to help out the Manuelito Children’s Home, because taking care of our concession and parking is their biggest fundraiser of the year. (And duct tape your shorts on because it’s going to get wild and western!)
We (bullriders) are the ultimate adrenaline junkies. You sure have to be put together different to be a bullrider. It’s the most dangerous sport in the world and also one of the greatest adrenaline rushes in the world. You see your friends get crippled and sometimes even killed, so you have to have a different type of mentality. One out of every 500 that tries to become a real
That’s what I shoot for each year is maximum entertainment. Every year we make adjustments to make it even better than the last. The bullriding side of it stays the same; we bring in some of the best bucking bulls in the world, but we are always adjusting and making changes on the other entertainment portions of the show. That’s where my twisted imagination has come in through the years to keep adding and changing things in the show; just like years ago when we came up with the burning skull and the huge fireworks.
I have had ideas about other events, but I’m overloaded with putting Wild Thing on. It takes so much time and work, I personally wouldn’t be able to put on another event and give it the attention it would deserve. With all of the loyal Wild Thing fans and the awesome sponsors we have, it would be very hard to give time and attention to another event.
