Madsen wins the 23rd Annual Bull Riders Challenge
VERNAL, Utah – The 23rd Bull Riders Challenge event was not only met with plenty of adrenaline pumping bull riding action, but also large amounts of snow and close to below freezing temperatures. It’s weather like this that reminds us how grateful we are to host the BRC event at our local Western Park indoor arena.
This year brought back many past BRC Champions including Bryant Osborne, our 2013 champ, who earned 8th place overall at this year’s event. Kade Madsen, a 17-year-old from Honeyville, Utah made a victorious return, claiming his spot on the podium as overall champion of the Bull Riders Challenge 2023 event. Madsen remains our youngest overall champion, winning his first BRC in the year 2021 when he was only 15! He made a huge comeback this year, as he was the only rider to cover all three bulls over the two-day event. Madsen started the weekend off with a 73-point ride on R & R Bucking Bulls, “Sparky” and continued to score higher from there. He started the Saturday night performance with an 85-point ride on “Wild Bill” then capped off the Championship Round with a jaw dropping score of 92-points on “Turnidoo”, (both bulls out of Whitley Buckers). Madsen ended the event with an impressive total score of 250 points on three head, earning himself the $5,000 1st place prize. Not only did he win a shiny gold buckle for his belt, he became the first man in BRC history to walk out of the arena with a second Bull Riders Challenge Championship Title.
Madsen has put a lot of work into bull riding, and it shows in his track record. Not only has he won the BRC twice at such a young age; he is also the Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association (RMPRA) 2022 all-around cowboy. Madsen says, “it doesn’t come down to just riding bulls. I prepare myself by working out throughout the week and focusing on keeping my mental game strong. Rodeo in general is a tough sport. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. The goal is to ride for 8 seconds; do whatever you gotta do to make that happen”.
Brock Udy from Malad, Idaho covered his first two bulls at this year’s event starting off with an 81.5-point ride on Whitley Buckers “Sawbones” Friday night and an 80.5-point ride during Saturdays long round on R & R Bucking Bulls “Pour Some Sugar on It”. He entered the Championship Round Saturday night in first place with a total combine score of 162 points on two head. He came within a fraction of a second of covering P S Bucking Bulls “Mr. Freckles” and claiming his first BRC title. In the end he found his way to the 2nd podium earning him $3,000 cash, a custom silver buckle and some bragging rights of finishing strong in a field of 50 top bull riders. Udy suggested to young bull riders who want to make the BRC podium, “get on bulls that are your level. Don’t get on bulls that just buck you off. Get on good bulls to learn the mechanics and that will build your confidence”.
Waylen Daley from Wallsburg, Utah impressed the crowd Friday evening with his 82-point ride on Rockin B Rodeo’s “Goofy”, earning himself a place on the podium as our 3rd place winner. He said, “Whenever you feel like quittin, put your energy into trying even harder. You’ll figure out it’s a lot better in the long run”. Daley is a newer bull rider compared to the 50 competitors we watched at this year’s event. He has only been riding for 4 years and, because of his “don’t quit” mentality, he now has a bronze buckle to show off for his hard work and training.
That wraps up our 2023 Bull Riders Challenge. We thank you for your continued support to the sport of bull riding and hope to see y’all next year!
