For decades, Bradley Photographers has served as the visual backbone of the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry, meticulously capturing every moment across Metropolitan and Provincial race meetings. But within their comprehensive archive lies the remarkable saga of Richard Wyles, a man who has seamlessly blended a lifelong devotion to horses with a storied photography career.
At 79, Wyles is still as dedicated as ever, consistently covering two to three race meetings a week. “I’ve been working in photographics all my life, and I’ve also been involved in horses all my life, as a rider, competitor, so it was the case of combining the two,” Richard Wyles explains, reflecting on the natural synergy of his two great passions.
Richard’s professional journey with Bradley Photographers began around 1990, a pivotal time when film was still the industry standard. His expertise was initially sought to handle a critical, specialised process.
“It all started in a dark room, Bradley’s couldn’t get anybody to do the dark room work because colour printing is a bit of a specialised thing,” Wyles recounts. “So, I got roped into doing that, as well as photographing the race meetings for them.”
This initial role quickly expanded, planting him firmly behind the lens at the tracks he knew so well. His unique background—understanding the flow of the race, the horses, and the riders—gave him an advantage that transcended technical skill. He didn’t just capture images; he captured moments of equine and human athleticism informed by his own intimate knowledge of the sport.
Long before dedicating himself to the lens as a professional, Richard Wyles was firmly entrenched in the saddle. In his younger days, he was an enthusiastic, albeit unpaid, photographer, capturing competitors at events and trying to sell them prints. “Believe me, [a lot of them] didn’t have enough money to pay,” he laughs, recalling the financial realities of the circuit.
His life with horses was anything but sedentary. For twenty-odd years, Wyles was a rodeo competitor, riding buckjumpers and bulls. He describes this adrenaline-fueled period as his absolute favourite time. “I enjoyed that more than I enjoyed anything I’ve ever done in my life,” he states with conviction. Beyond the wild excitement of rodeo, he was also a skilled horseman, spending time breaking and training thoroughbreds at famous Sydney tracks, including Canterbury and Warwick Farm, before moving out to various country areas in New South Wales.
He recalls working with the progeny of legends like Star Kingdom—the leading sire of the time—including horses sired by his influential sons, Toddman and Vain. His deep, hands-on experience with these majestic animals laid the groundwork for the exceptional photographs he would later produce.
Today, Richard Wyles operates from his base in Mossvale, but his commitment remains utterly unflagging. His territory for Bradley Photographers spans the vast landscape of NSW racing, often requiring monumental drives.
“I travel down as far as Bega on the south coast, and Cooma,” he says, detailing a demanding schedule that can see him visiting tracks like Bombala, Moruya, Canberra, and Nowra in a single week. A trip to Bega can involve an 800-kilometre round trip, and there’s often no rest in between.
“I’ll be driving down and back from Bombala and then heading straight to Nowra the next day,” he notes, underscoring the relentless pace of his work. When others haven’t been available, Wyles has also gone as far west as Cobar and north to Coonabarabran, Armidale, and Tamworth, occasionally even filling in at Sydney metropolitan meetings. Remarkably, he tackles this demanding travel schedule solo. “I do all the travel on my own,” he quips. “I don’t argue with myself, that’s a good thing.”
Richard Wyles’ high-octane competitive rodeo career finally came to a close for a reason many can appreciate: marriage. “I got married in the meantime, and I had to slow down on that part of my world,” he reflects, noting with a touch of pride that he never suffered a serious, lasting injury during his two decades of buckjumping. When asked if the lady who compelled him to slow down was worth trading in the thrill of the ride, his answer is immeiate and unequivocal. “Oh, yes. We got married and had four kids.” He reveals the irony of their meeting: “I met her at a rodeo, and she didn’t know that I worked in photography, she was never that keen on horses either.”
The couple reached a truly remarkable milestone, having been married for 60 years this year. Despite the passage of time, the veteran photographer is showing no signs of slowing down. His expertise and images remain highly valued by Bradley Photographers and the NSW racing community.
“I’m still taking photos,” Richard Wyles concludes with satisfaction, “… My pictures are still selling and the boss is happy with what I produce every week.”
– Tully Potts
