Taylor L’Heureux and her horse, Skip. (Submitted photo/Taylor L’Heureux)

By Martin Martinson

A girl and her horse

Battlefords local, L’Heureux making most of rodeo experience

Jul 29, 2022 | 6:04 PM

For as long as she can remember, North Battleford’s Taylor L’Heureux has been riding horses.

Growing up spending countless hours at her grandparent’s farm just outside of town, her dedication to working with the animals and tending them daily has been a passion; one that is now quickly making her a name to watch in Canadian rodeo.

L’Heureux is coming off a memorable week at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette, Wyo.

Her first international event, L’Heureux hit the ground running competing against the top riders in the world to finish 40^th overall in pole bending, a timed rodeo event requiring a horse and rider to run a weaving or serpentine path through six poles arranged in a line.

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L’Heureux opened the week strong, placing 10^th out of 32 competitors in her first performance, before an even quicker time on her final day of competition, setting a new personal best finish, in eighth.

“I had a little bit of low expectations going in, but I came out really strong, so I felt pretty good after that,” she said. “I went into my second run trying to be a bit faster and we ended up getting a new personal best which was pretty awesome, and I was really proud of my horse for giving me some great runs and getting me to the position I was.”

After all, for L’Heureux it wasn’t just her competing, but her horse, Skip, as well, who she has been training since he was two years old.

Seeing many a sunset from long hours spent at the farm riding and working with her four-legged running mate, L’Heureux called it a special feeling to see the hard work over the years pay off.

“Just to be able to know that I trained him and I was able to make us go that far was pretty special,” she said. “I was pretty proud of my horse for getting me that far and he’s definitely one in a million. I’m super proud I got to go and ride him, and I’ll remember that experience for the rest of my life.”

Adding to the impressive nature of L’Heureux’s performance in Gillette, Wyo., is just how recent her foray into pole bending, and rodeo in general has been.

L’Heureux’s first taste competing in the sport came at the North Battleford Kinsmen Rodeo last year, prior to really sinking her teeth in to the world of high school rodeo in the fall, where she competed in poles for the first time, prior to heading out to the National High School Finals.

“The whole experience was great; I got to meet a lot of people, and to be a senior and in my first year of high school rodeo and be able to have made it that far was pretty awesome,” she said.

Next up for L’Heureux will be a trip to the Canadian High School Finals Rodeo in Swift Current Aug. 4-6, where she will compete in pole bending, as well as barrel racing.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1