WhataKid! Madison Outhier

Ambitious, humble, entrepreneurial, athletic, driven; these are only a handful of words that could be used to describe this month’s Whatakid, Madison Outhier. The Utopia, Texas native, and Fulshear High School sophomore currently competes in THSRA Region 7. She is an all-around contestant, competing in the barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, cutting and breakaway roping.

She never mentioned having a favorite event, but it would be easy to assume breakaway roping takes the top spot given her successes this past year. Madison said “2017 was my best roping year,” and she hasn’t taken her foot off the gas since. She has won Cody Ohl’s 15 & under and 19 & under Breakaway ropings, Joe Beaver’s 15 & under Breakaway Roping, Roy Cooper’s Junior NFR 15 & under Breakaway Roping and she kicked off 2019 by claiming the first ever RFDTVs American Breakaway Roping championship title, along with RFDTV’s Junior American Breakaway championship.

THSRA is chock full of students who are constantly working toward and achieving goals, and Madison is a prime example. “I am always working toward something and trying to accomplish goals,” Madison said. “I have a deeper appreciation for things. When I work so hard for something, my achievements are so much sweeter. I think that’s what sets us apart. We work so hard for what we do.”

Madison had set her sights on the American ever since the news came out about the inclusion of breakaway roping. “I was so excited; I was over the moon,” Madison said. “My first goal was to qualify.” By the time the semi-finals rolled around in Fort Worth, Madison had earned two chances to make her way into AT&T Stadium. “We knew going into that week, if I was doing good it was going to be long; it was definitely not a sprint that week, it was a marathon.”

Each run held quite a bit of weight, and Madison said she continuously had to point her focus toward the run she had at hand. “My dad really preached to me that week about staying focused and not worrying about anything but the run I had to make in that moment,” she said.

As she was experiencing the pressures of the week and the competition, she explained how THSRA played a large role in preparing her for the big stage at AT&T stadium.“My favorite part about THSRA are the 10 regions coming together at state,” Madison said. “Honestly I think that’s one of the major things that prepared me for the American and handling the pressure. Every year I have gone to state I have grown and have been able to handle pressure better each year.”

As she continued to focus on each run as they came, and finally completed the final round in AT&T stadium, she said she was just happy she did her job. “Just being able to rope with myidols Jackie Crawford, and Lari Dee Guy, and Kelcie Chace and making it to AT&T Stadium is mind-blowing, much less winning the American! It’s absolutely mind-blowing.”

Rodeo can easily be described as a passion for Madison; however, she has a number of other interests and talents, and the dedication she has seems to push her to success in each. Not only does Madison rodeo, she helps train horses at her family ranch, she is an avid basketball player, Polo team member, jewelry maker and honor roll student.

She is currently in the top 4% of her class at Fulshear ISD, and she was 2ndteam All-District in basketball along with Academic All-District. An average day in the life for Madison consists of basketball practice until six, coming home to rope and ride her speed event horses and work on homework. When it’s not basketball season, she practices rodeo and polo, does her homework for the night, and then fills any jewelry orders she might have. Describing Madison’s life as busy almost sounds like an understatement, but “I don’t know what I would do with myself if I wasn’t busy,” she said. “THSRA has taught me a lot about time management.”

Madison is from a horse family through and through as both sides of her family own and train horses. Her mom’s side of the family own and operate LA Waters Quarter Horses which includes a breeding and training program, and her dad’s side of the family hosts a long line of rodeo champions and trainers. Her dad is a 4-time NFR Bronc Riding qualifier, while her mom is a retired professional polo player. “Everybody in my family plays such a large role in my success,” Madison said. “I know a lot of people don’t always have that family support, so I am just really grateful to have all of those people in my life supporting me.”

Her family also happens to be the people she looks up to the most. Madison said her parents have instilled in her the importance of winning with humility. “I strive to be humble with my wins and not take anything for granted and just keep working hard. I just try to live by that,” she said.

In the future, Madison said she wants to rodeo at a good college with a good business school. She has a pretty good track record of achieving the goals she sets her sights on and isn’t afraid of the work that comes with the dreams.