Kade Sonnier is a second generation rodeo cowboy and it was his father Joey’s 2018 qualification to the Wrangler NFR that set him on that path.
The rookie bareback rider was a talented baseball and football player in high school and went on to play Division I baseball, but after a short time in Las Vegas, he knew he wanted to compete there himself one day.
“I don’t know if some people have had the opportunity to be in the Thomas & Mack when the National Anthem plays, but nothing compares to it, it tugged on my heart pretty good and that’s when I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” he said.
Sonnier has only been riding bareback horses for about three years after injuries forced him to retire from baseball.
His dad was a bronc rider though, so why did he pick bareback riding?
“I think it has a little bit to do with the way I was built,” he said with a laugh. “After catching 17 years, I wouldn’t say I fit in a bronc saddle very well, but the bareback riding always caught my attention....It was always just something I kind of wanted to do.”