Patrick Shining Elk

Patrick Shining Elk is a gifted all around horseman, actor, stunt man, veteran of foreign wars and proud member of the Eastern Shoshone Indian Tribe from the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. In honor of his adopted father and wanting to follow in his footsteps, Patrick joined the United States Navy where he flew air crew (search and rescue) for several years. His time in the military also sent him into combat in three separate foreign wars -- the Lebanon War, Panama War and Desert Storm. Patrick's inherent attraction to all things extreme led him to four years of professional motor cross racing, as well as many other extreme sports, and ultimately on to the business of being a stuntman for television and movies and a semi-professional cowboy. His 20 plus years as an Indian Cowboy, has made Patrick an all around horseman, livestock wrangler and award winning bull rider and steer wrestler. In the 90s, he spent three years on tour competing in steer wrestling with the IPRA/CPRA. As an actor and stuntman, he has worked with the likes of Tom Cruise in The Last Samarai, Viggo Mortenson in Hidalgo, "The Rock" in The Scorpion King and Gary Oldman and Skeet Ulrich in Nobody's Baby (aka Anasazi Moon) to name a few. He has done theatre with the Native Voices Program at the Autry National Museum in Los Angeles and well as other theatre companies throughout the nation and has to his credit a plethora of television commercials, corporate videos and print ad modeling experiences. Patrick also has a special place in his heart for the youth of this Nation. He has worked with a number of childrens' hospitals throughout the United States, has made special personal appearances to meet and talk with some troubled youngsters and has worked with Michael McMeel's foundation "Inner City Slickers." ICS "is the place where the cowboys meet the street kids." Today, now fully recovered from a steer wrestling accident in 2002, Patrick is back in action working in stunts, acting and some behind the scenes work in television and movies. Patrick is also a member of the American Pool Players Association (APPA) and competed professionally for three years, for which he is still a member of today.