Oceane Veilleux Fought Against the Current to Win 2024 Resistol Rookie of the Year Title

A goal and a dream realized for Oceane Veilleux.
Oceane Veilleux barrel racing
Oceane Veilleux | Phil Kitts/Avid Visual Imagery

Quebec native Oceane Veilleux claimed the coveted Resistol Rookie of the Year title with $47,370 in earnings, an impressive $13,000 ahead of Julie Plourde.

The junior at Texas A&M-Commerce fought hard through setbacks to achieve her lifelong goal.

The Road to the Rookie

“My year started pretty good,” Veilleux said. “My first rodeo was in Hempstead, and I placed. I was thrilled because I hadn’t really rodeoed. This was my first real rodeo season, and I was just happy to be competing. Things were going well—I qualified for San Antonio, and my horse Ice Cream even made the semi-finals there.”

Veilleux placed in Uvalde at the San Antonio qualifier, earning $918 and a spot at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in February—her first big rodeo.

But what started as a fairy-tale season quickly came crashing down for Veilleux when her good horse, Ice Cream, was sidelined with an injury.

“He got hurt in the pasture after a rodeo in Mercedes, and he was off for three months,” Veilleux said. “We didn’t know what was wrong at first—it was devastating. Eventually, an MRI revealed a digital flexor tendon tear.”

Ice Cream, whose registered name is Heavens Guy, was bred by the renowned Judd Little Ranch. The 9-year-old gelding by JL Dash Ta Heaven and out of Easy Guys by Holland Ease was trained by Caroline Boucher and later purchased by Veilleux from Tiany Schuster.

Heavens Guy owned by Frenchmoney To Vegas owned by Oceane Veilleux

During Ice Cream’s recovery, Veilleux competed on her backup horse, Vegas.

“Vegas wasn’t seasoned but we ended up winning the Rookie Roundup together,” Veilleux said. “That was a huge high for me. He gave me something to lean on during that tough time.”

Vegas, registered as Frenchmoney To Vegas is by French Streaktovegas and out of Flash Mia Money Red by Honor For Money Red.

Frenchmoney To Vegas owned by Oceane Veilleux

“Vegas is like that bad boy with a good heart,” Veilleux laughed. “He might try to kick you, but he doesn’t really mean it. He gets overwhelmed, but deep down, he’s sweet. We’re still working on trusting each other fully.”

Oceane Veilleux barrel racing
Oceane Veilleux and Vegas | Phil Kitts/Avid Visual Imagery

Rookie Rollercoaster

For Veilleux, 2024 was a test of resilience. She navigated Ice Cream’s injury, the struggles with Vegas and the emotional blow of losing her dog at the same time.

“It was full of ups and downs, but I’m definitely doing it again next year,” Veilleux said. “Rodeo has my heart; it’s a thrill I can’t leave behind.”

Amid the challenges, Veilleux’s academic dedication never wavered. Juggling her studies in biological sciences with rodeo is no easy feat, but she remains committed to both.

“I’ve got two more years to go, and I’d love to attend pharmacy school in Texas,” Veilleux said. “Though it’s tempting to go back to Canada where pharmacy school is free, my heart is here.”

Her adjustment to rodeo in the United States was an education itself, especially coming from Quebec where the pattern sizes are smaller.

“In Quebec, the rodeos are in smaller arenas, often with the barrels set close to the fence,” Veilleux said. “When I came to Texas and later went out West, the bigger patterns were challenging for my horses and me, but we learned and adapted.”

Oceane Veilleux barrel racing
Oceane Veilleux and Ice Cream | Phil Kitts/Avid Visual Imagery

Dreams Come True

Winning the 2024 Resistol Rookie of the Year title was a goal Veilleux set at the start of the season, and it holds deep meaning for her.

“It means a lot because it’s the only year you can get it,” Veilleux said. “You can never try for the Rookie title again. Competing against such talented girls was tough, but in the end, it’s about who deserves it the most. We all worked so hard, and I’m really proud of them too. But I’ll always be the 2024 Rookie of the Year—no one can take that away.”

Looking ahead, Veilleux is laser-focused on 2025.

“I want to go hard this year and aim for the world standings,” Veilleux said. “I hope Ice Cream stays healthy so we can keep pushing forward. The Texas Circuit Finals are another goal, but right now, it’s all about doing the best I can.”

Texas A&M-Commerce is also a key part of her rodeo journey.

“I’m on a full scholarship there, which is amazing,” Veilleux said. “We have a great rodeo team, and my goal is to make the college finals before I graduate. I usually run my backup horses in college rodeos, but this year, I’m thinking about running Ice Cream more often.”

Through the ups and downs, Veilleux’s system for setting goals and sticking to them has kept her on track.

“Every year, my dad and I sit down and write out my goals,” Veilleux said. “We list the actions needed to achieve them, which helps me stay motivated even when things go wrong. When Ice Cream got hurt, we knew we needed another horse, and that’s how we ended up with Vegas. We learned to adapt.”

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