The first weekend of the Festival Western de St. Tite in Quebec, Canada, is in the books, and the IPRA Canada Cup closed with Kim Picard earning the championship.

The $10,000 added Canada Cup qualifications include

• Eight contestants from the 2023 IPRA Canada
Standings (at time of entry)
• The 2022 Canada Cup Winner
• The 2022 Festival St-Tite Winner (Second weekend)
• The 2023 IFR Champion
• The 2022 IPRA World Champion

This year, reigning IPRA and IFR champion, Julie Thomas stayed south of the border, and the field of 13 athletes was made up entirely of barrel racers who hail from Quebec. The rodeo serves as a warm-up of sorts for the main Festival Western event, which has $15,000 added and is open to the world in barrel racing.

Picard and her 16-year-old gelding, Mister Sweet Colours, battled through two rounds of competition in St. Tite’s opening weekend to qualify for short round Sunday. The duo went 16.476 seconds in round one to earn a fourth-place finish and $357.75, and 16.322 in round two to earn $715.50 for a third-place finish.

Who is Kim Picard?

Age: 31

Hometown: Drummondville, Quebec

Occupation: Teacher

Accomplishments: Picard is a well-known barrel racer in the Eastern Canadian barrel racing circles. She’s the 2019 IPRA Canadian champion barrel racer, and the reigning Festival Western St. Tite champion. Picard hasn’t just won in Canada—she’s a past qualifier to the International Finals Rodeo.

In the clean-slate short round , Picard had to face off with seven other talented Canadian ladies—including IPRA world standings leader, Julie Plourde—to earn the Canada Cup victory. She saved her best run for last and earned the victory in 16.132 seconds, besting Tania Corpeil and Aim My Choice—the same horse Susie Parisee won money on in Round 1— for the win, worth $1,431. Corpeil finished in the reserve position with a 16.390-second run.Then, Picard returned to the arena to take a victory lap in front of the cheering crowd aboard her gelding, an impressive feat on its own. Totaled, Picard earned $2,504.25 for the victory.

Festival Western de St. Tite Canada Cup Barrel Racing Results

Round 1

1. Julie Plourde and KF Epic Ta Fame, 16.402 seconds, $1,431
2. Kelly Turgeon and Im The Best Yankee, 16.454, $1,073.23
3. Susue Parisee and Aim My Choice, 16.460, $715.50
4. Kim Picard and Mister Sweet Colours, 16.476, $357.75

Round 2

1. Mairika Morin and Chalk Cliffs, 16.089 seconds, $1,431
2. Julie Plourde and KF Epic Ta Fame, 16.115, $1,073.25
3. Kim Picard and Mister Sweet Colours, 16.322, $715.50
4. Sindy Laliberte and Hallie Selassier, 16.489, $357.75

Short Round

1. Kim Picard and Mister Sweet Colours, 16.132, $2,385
2. Tania Corbeil and Aim My Choice, 16.390, $1,431
3. Mairika Morin and Chalk Cliffs, 16.424, $954