By Shem Roose

February 1, 1999

When Jon Boyer was a wee-lad he resembled Danny Bonaduce from the Partridge Family. He doesn't like to admit this, but I've seen the photos and it's true. This here's a brief look into the world of someone who has always inspired me, even before I knew him.

Jon Boyer tried snowboarding in 1983 when he saw a snowboard at Sunshine Village that was handmade by Neil Daffern. The snowboard was named "The Slayer," and it inspired Jon to try making his own shred-sled. The end result was not as satisfying as the sensations he had experienced with The Slayer, and like any kid he begged his parents for a board like the ones he had seen Terry Kidwell and Keith Kimmel riding in Thrasher magazine. He begged so much that he became the proud owner of a Sims 1500 FE a few months before his fifteenth birthday. Not long after that Jon's natural ability was recognized by Chuck Barfoot at the second North American Snowboarding Championships, and he became part of the Barfoot Team. Jon was given the nickname "Boy-Air" for his huge airs. "I'm not exactly sure who named me that, but I think it was Tom Hsieh, Jr. of International Snowboarding Magazine. Probably because I was always talking so much." Jon remarks.

Around the age of 24, Jon decided it was time to retire from professional snowboarding and choose a new path. Enter snowboarding filmer and friend Jon Long. Boyer became creative advisor and contributing filmer for Long's company Rap Films. Jon worked on It's the Source, Deuce, The Young and the Restless, and Fred. After those, Jon took a chance and started his own film company called Day 13 Productions. Jon's professional snowboarding experiences, combined with his knowledge of filming, have allowed him to produce two of his own videos, Scrapbook and this year's Dedication.

Jon is currently working on a documentary of the making of the IMAX movie Extreme by Jon Long. For those of you who just started snowboarding within the last few years, or who aren't generally too bright, I hope this has served as a little history lesson on one of the riders who deserves to be recognized for his humor, creative ability, and kick-ass methods.