BILLINGS — At 26 years old, Brady Fielder has vaulted himself to stardom as the No. 2 rider in the PBR world standings. But about a decade ago Fielder had an accident that threatened the future of his career.
“I had a bull step on me when I was about 16. I lost a bit of eyesight in my right eye and it's been like that every since," Fielder said. "For a while I never even thought about my eye. I just fell in love with (bull riding) and I'm thankful to be able to do what I truly love. It's amazing to me. It never slowed me down."
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Fielder’s inhibited vision in that right eye has become an afterthought over the years. But adversity struck the Australian again in January when a fire ravaged his home in Bowie, Texas.
“Jan. 12, had a bit of a crazy lifetime experience waking up to a fire in my house," Fielder said. "It was a shock to the system, really, but it's all part of living, I guess. It's a matter of working through it and taking care of it every step of the way."
Fielder was able to salvage a few things from the home — buckles, photos — but for the most part he’s had to start all over. But the brotherhood built among the riders has proven to be a rock-solid shoulder to lean on.
“To be honest, the support I've had at this point in time in my life is truly amazing. I'm so grateful to be surrounded by such amazing people that just put you right back on your feet. They've been a huge help. I'm so very grateful for that," Fielder said.
Fielder took a step towards rebuilding the trophy case with a win at the PBR's Unleash The Beast event in Billings last week and now he aims for a gold buckle in Fort Worth, as the World Finals begin in two weeks.
