Sandy's Madsen battles bulls, diabetes

By Darrell Jackson

The Sandy Post, Apr 9, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

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His first time on the bull, Austin won the event and won $100 and both grandma and grandpa knew he was hooked.

“When he won that hundred bucks in his first ever ride, I knew he was hooked,” Walter, Austin grandfather said.

Linda said all this came from a promise that Austin forced them to make to him when he was diagnosed with diabetes.

“When he found out (about his diabetes), he made us promise to him that he would not have to be a kid that sat in front of a television playing video games. He just wanted to be a normal kid and play outside and do the things he liked to do.”

Austin has ridden hundreds of bulls and has had events where his diabetes has affected his rides.

“There have been times, when I had a cold and it makes my blood sugar go up, I haven’t been totally focused and I felt tired,” Austin said. “Bulls have taken off from the chute and I fell off quickly.”

Austin has had small bumps and bruises, but has not been seriously injured, which doesn’t make it any easier for Linda and Walter.

“Every time he finishes a run, we both ask him if he is done with bull riding,” Walter said. “He always says no and that his just wants a re-match with the bull that had just thrown him. We both hold our breath a little during the run, but we know he has trained well.”

Both grandparents see the advantages of his riding as opposed to being normal.

“The riding has been a great thing for Austin,” Linda said. “He is much more self-confident and knows that there isn’t anything he can’t accomplish if he puts his mind to it. Nothing has held him back and he keeps doing what he loves, we will both support him 100 percent.”

ANIMAL ABUSE AND AUSTIN’S FUTURE

Austin said that he gets upset when people tell him that bull riding is cruel and he tries to let them know exactly what the sport is like.

Most bulls work the junior association for two to three years before moving up to the professional bull riding association. The bulls are treated like star athletes, usually getting fed three to four times a day of the best feed and are treated better than most riders.

“People are completely wrong if they think that riding is inhumane,” Austin said. “The bulls are not tortured and not antagonized at all and once a bull stops bucking or doesn’t seem to enjoy it, they are put out to pasture and raised to stud.”

The bulls are protected so much that riders are disqualified, fined and suspended for foreign objects or hurting the bulls.

“You can not have sharp spurs or foreign objects or riders are disqualified,” Austin said. “If you cut a bull, you are disqualified and they fine you $1000 so they do not want any harm towards the bulls.”

Austin has hopes of joining the professional bull riding association once he turns 18 in six years, but he has hopes and plans in the near future.

“I want to win the Oregon championship again and then go to nationals and win the national junior championship this year.”

His grandparents say they will continue to support him and expect nothing less from him.

“If he puts his mind to it, he will do it,” Walter said. “I never expect anything less than what he says he wants.”

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