Some young athletes choose soccer. Some athletes choose basketball. For eight-year-old Gavin Rose, there seemed to be no other option than hopping on the back of a bull.

Gavin Rose has just been selected to be one of 8 Canadian boys to compete in the first ever Mini Global Cup Canadian Team for miniature bull riding.

Mother Nikki Rose said that although Gavin has only been riding bulls for two years, he's very much the experienced cowboy.

"Gavin was interested in rodeo really young. Starting at two, he started mutton busting, so riding the sheep. Then, from there, he went up to riding miniature ponies bareback for three years and this is his second year with bulls."

Gavin has already proved to be quite the rider and has competed in events like this in the past. Although dangerous, Nikki is proud of her son's bull-riding.

"In my opinion, he can get hurt really doing anything and the joy and everything you can see in his face when he's ready to ride and get on totally makes it all worth it."

In 2014, Gavin was diagnosed with autism, which is something he's battled with on his road to competition.

"It's definitely been a long road to get to where he is doing rodeo and everything. It's been amazing to watch how much he's come out of his shell and how much all the other competitors and everything has just accepted him."

Nikki said that the rodeo community has been great in helping him.

"They're always there to help him, work through everything, they give him the space he needs when he needs it. It's just been amazing."

Gavin is very excited for his next big competition and Nikki said he trains every day to prepare.

"He does a lot of training, not necessarily on a bull, but he gets up every morning to work out for about half an hour before he used to get ready to go to school," said Rose.

After another thirty minutes-ish exercise after school, Gavin continues with a different kind of training.

"He does a lot of mental preparation. He watches videos of his previous rides to see what he had struggled with and work on that. Anything he can think of to work on to make it so he can do better next ride, he'll do it."

 

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