Miss Mulerider and Molly B. join local festival

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

— “This was fun,” Sunny Wilcox said. “We’ll probably come back next year, if they’ll have us.”

Wilcox had never before heard of jumping mules, despite being the official mascot for the Southern Arkansas University Muleriders.

She carried the flag in the opening ceremonies of Saturday’s 21st annual Pea Ridge Mule Jump.

Wilcox, originally from Greenbrier, Ark., is in her junior year at SAU in Magnolia, Ark. She is studying Agriculture Education and plans to teach high schoolAgriculture and possibly Agriculture Literacy, teaching students where food comes from.

As mascot at SAU, Wilcox rides the official Muleriders’ mule, Molly B. She carries the flag at football games and is the public face for the university.

“My family is a rodeo family,” she said. “We have a long history of horses and mules. My daddy has pack mules to hunt with.”

Wilcox is the daughter of Kenny and Suzi Wilcox of Greenbrier. Her father was once a professional bull rider. Wilcox herself participates in rodeo events, such as barrel racing, and her brother, Blue Wilcox, 13,is also active in rodeos.

Before this year’s event, Wilcox had never been to a mule jump.

Adorned in her SAU Muleriders uniform - blue and gold SAU chaps with fringe and a bright blue shirt - she opened the 2009 Pea Ridge Mule Jump carrying the American flag.

She entered Molly in the Mule Jump, learned the rules and went on to place second behind Babes, a mule owned by Jerry Nelson.

News, Pages 1 on 10/14/2009