Madison Outhier was a quick 2.0 to win the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo in Big Spring, Texas, to claim a circuit win and $3,704 at her last stop before pulling out for the summer.
The 23-year-old Utopia, Texas, native credits the win to a technical correction she’s been working on—scoring better. Bigger setups and longer scores define ProRodeo all summer long, and Big Spring is no exception.
“I think a lot of my troubles at these rodeos have come from going too early and pulling across the line,” she said. “I feel like lately, I’ve been scoring a lot better so that I am able to hit the barrier at a more flat-out run. It has let me use my rope a little more and get more out of my horse so that I’m able to catch up to the calf in those quicker spots.”
That correction showed up in Big Spring, with a two-foot-under start, to let her get the win.
This win is just the beginning of what is being dubbed as Outhier’s comeback year. In 2024 Outhier was knocking on the door of the National Finals Breakaway Roping when she was hurt in Salt Lake City, Utah, side lining her for the remainder of the year. That was followed by some tough luck in the 2025 season, but this win at Big Spring, headed into the summer run, is exactly what she is building on.
Building on a Comback
The win came aboard her 9-year-old mare Lets Boogie Wildcared—“Eva”—a horse Outhier knows better than just about anyone. Eva came up through the LA Quarter Horse breeding program, which is owned and operated by Outhier’s grandparents, and is by their stallion Wild Card Dun It out of a Colonel Clout mare.
She was started and shown in the reined cow horse pen under Kreese Milligan until she was 6 years old, when Outhier bought her back and pointed her towards the breakaway pen.
Over the last couple of years, the former Resistol Rookie of the year has been chipping away at making Eva what she is today. Last summer, Outhier took the mare on the road to start seasoning her in the ProRodeo environment. Followed up by coast-to-coast travel for the duo from Brawley, California, to Arcadia, Florida, doing all they could to get qualified for the big winter rodeos, Eva and Outhier are turning into a lethal team.
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Eva is the horse Outhier was on when she had her accident in Salt Lake City.
“I took her with us on the road last year and started seasoning her more,” said the 2019 American Rodeo Champion. “She is actually who I had my accident on in Salt Lake City back in 2024. She is all good from that, didn’t get hurt—she’s been an awesome asset to my team.”
Eyes on the Summer Run
The win at Big Spring is just the start for Outhier’s comeback summer run.
“Hopefully I just keep it going through the rest of the summer,” laughed Outhier. “I love all these summer rodeos and I’m always super excited to leave for the summer run.”
