The Wrangler Horse and Rodeo News

7-05-24 WRANGLER

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.

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The Rising Tide: The Rising Tide: OCEANE Veilleux OCEANE Veilleux Takes Over Takes Over if You'Ve been Watching rodeo resuLts, it's hard not To notice Young océane VeiLLeux notching Wins eVerYWhere she goes. Veilleux, Veilleux, who hails from St. Alfred, Quebec, grew up trail riding. "My parents bought land and built a barn before they built a house, because they always thought horses were pretty," she laughed. "My little hometown rodeo was happening and I just fell in love with barrel racing. I started barrel racing with my little pony when I was seven or eight. My pony was blind so it didn't work out really well. We would turn the first barrel and then come back home," Veilleux described her early journey with a chuckle. Despite being unable to complete the pattern, Veilleux was officially bitten by the barrel racing bug. "My dad bought a bigger horse that taught me everything I know. She was an amazing horse. We weren't going very fast, but we grew up together. Her name was Charlotte and she was only four years old. My dad bought her for futurities, but she wanted to be a kids horse. Sadly, she got into an accident and we had to put her down. Nothing happens without a reason and the accident really pushed me to getting a faster horse. With that horse, I would do the regional and youth barrel races. When I was around 12, we started coming down to Texas and barrel racing here a little bit. I did that until I was 17 and then got a scholarship at Texas A&M in Commerce." Veilleux purchased her permit in September of 2023 and filled it in one rodeo. She bought her card and was ready to start rodeoing when the 2024 season kicked off on October 1. Veilleux has a trailer of exceptional horses on the road with her, including FrenchMoney To Vegas "Vegas" (French StreakToVegas x Flash Mia Money Red x Honor For Money Red) and Heavens Guy "Ice Cream" (JL Dash Ta Heaven x Easy Guys x Holland Ease). Veilleux credits her horsepower heavily and described Ice Cream, "He is a typical rodeo horse and just loves his job. He thinks he is the greatest horse ever. He loves to go to the big rodeos." Unfortunately, Ice Cream was out for the majority of the spring, but it hasn't kept Veilleux from the winners circle. She won the Resistol Rookie Roundup aboard Vegas in April and has maintained her lead in the rookie standings. By Teal Stoll

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