Anchorage Daily News

Want an example of tough?

Last July, John Wilson of Sutton broke his left jaw riding bulls at the National High School Finals Rodeo at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Ill.

Wilson, 17, returned home and had two plates inserted into his jaw during surgery at Providence Alaska Medical Center.

"He slung me down on top of his head," Wilson said, explaining that his jaw collided with the bull's horn. "I was a little dazed. I lay there for awhile."

Less than a month after his accident, Wilson was back in the saddle. Competing against grown men -- including his dad, John Wilson -- the younger Wilson won the state bull-riding championship at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer.

That kind of moxie has Wilson believing he can place high this week at the National High School Finals, which begin today in Farmington, N.M. The event draws about 2,000 contestants from the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Wilson placed 62 nd out of 71 riders in his class last year. The broken jaw occurred on his second ride and kept him from competing further.

"I learned a lot," Wilson earlier this week. "I have a really good chance of winning down there."

His best friend and fellow bull rider, 16-year-old Deven Malutin of Palmer, will join Wilson in Farmington. To qualify, Malutin and Wilson finished first and second, respectively, at the Alaska High School Rodeo Association state finals June 13-14 at Ninilchik Arena.

Wilson grew up riding bulls with his dad, a former Alaska state champion. Wilson then introduced Malutin to bull riding about three years ago.

Before meeting Wilson, Malutin used to race motocross, but his mother thought that was too dangerous. He quit motocross and convinced his mom to let him try bull riding.

Last year, a bull threw Malutin. His head struck the horn. The impact broke his eye socket.

"After that, my mom starting making me wear a helmet" and face mask, Malutin said. "At first, I didn't like it. It was hard to get used to it."

Oddly enough, Malutin said, the impact seems to have cured his lazy eye.

"I never noticed it before, but apparently everybody else did," he said.

Both Wilson and Malutin shook off their injuries to keep riding. Why? Both gave the same answer.

"It's the adrenaline rush," Wilson said. "It's just fun."

Wilson and Malutin were two of seven Alaskans who competed at nationals last year. This year, eight Alaskans are going, including Colten Jensen and Laura McKenna of Soldotna, Lindsay Schnabl of Ninilchik, Shelby Loop of Anchor Point, and Sienna Rucker and Jenna Mahoney of Homer, as well as Wilson and Malutin.

Find Ron Wilmot online at adn.com/contact/rwilmot or call 352-6712.

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