The WRANGLER Horse and Rodeo News is an equine and rodeo publication with circulation in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Utah and Idaho.
Issue link: http://thewrangler.uberflip.com/i/1523811
Veilleux is eager to have Ice Cream back on the trailer for the summer run and will be back with her main mount by the end of June. With some of the most iconic rodeos of the professional season coming up, Veilleux reported that she was particularly looking forward to a couple, "I'm really excited for St. Paul (Oregon). I've watched their ad on the Cowboy Channel and it looks so cool. I'm even up on the Fourth of July, so it's going to be great with a lot of people. Cheyenne I think is going to be great too. If I ever get invited to Calgary, being from Canada, I am really looking forward to that rodeo someday." Veilleux has been enjoying the journey of professional rodeo immensely, "San Antonio is probably my favorite so far. I had to qualify and had to work hard to get there. Once we got there, we were being treated like real athletes. I love that about the professional rodeo world, we get treated like real athletes with hospitality and everything. That's something you don't get with the amateur rodeos." With newer opportunities to qualify for some of the larger, limited entry rodeos through the winter, rookies like Veilleux are given another chance to boost their earnings. "I'm very grateful I was able to qualify, because I was third and the money I won in San Antonio moved me to first in the rookie standings. I loved everything about that rodeo. You qualify and then compete against your same bracket throughout." Having someone to rely on is important when going down the road, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. The road can be daunting, but Veilleux's support system is key. "My dad is my biggest mentor. He flies down a lot and helps me on the road or whenever I need a pep talk or someone to boost me up a little bit. Both of my parents have been coming down and helping me with the driving, because there is a lot of driving!" Setting goals and creating a pathway to achieving them also plays a key role in Veilleux's success. "On January 1, my dad and I put out our goals for the year. We write them down and say 'what do I have to do to achieve these goals?' This year, I really wanted to focus on the rookie standings. Put down your goals and a list of things you can do to achieve them." Veilleux provided great advice for any athlete, "My biggest lesson is something I am still working on. You have to make every rodeo count and then when it's over, you have to move on. There are so many rodeos, you look at what you can improve for the next one and move forward. Even when it goes really well, it's just one rodeo out of 100, so you think about doing good at the next one. Don't be sad when you have a bad run, it happens. You can't be perfect every time." Like many competitors, Veilleux's love for the sport began as the dream of a little girl. "For people getting into barrel racing, I always say a dream goes a long way. When I was little, I dreamed of going to the NFR. When you have that dream, you want to put the effort it and do whatever it takes." Photos on pg. 24: Oceane & Vegas competing. Photo Credit: Kay Miller Photography Photos on pg. 25: Photo Credit: Rachael Watts Photography