ARCOLA - Justin Carrier did not grow up in a rodeo family, but this did not stop him from giving it a whirl.
Carrier was born and raised in Eastern Townships, Que.
While in the province, a friend of his asked if he wanted to ride bulls, as his friend's dad had rodeoed some and knew where to start. After playing football and rugby, this was the next intense sport, and he was game.
Before they even climbed on a bull, his friend lost interest, but Carrier continued to dig deeper into the sport. The more he looked into it, the more he realized that riding bucking horses interested him more than bulls.
Carrier was 23 years old and attended clinics in St-Tite, Que., which was put on by Roger Lacasse a past Canadian champion.
While remaining in Quebec, he went to his first rodeo at Ranch Gagnon, and he did not fare well at the event, but he rodeoed all summer long and won the novice finals.
By this time his cousin and brother Ryan had moved to Arcola, and Justin Carrier came for a visit. He liked the area and decided to move to Arcola as well in 2015. He returned to Quebec in 2016, as he had enlisted into the Armed Forces. Once this was completed, he once again returned to Arcola and has stayed.
Continuing to ride bucking broncs, he has entered the Arcola Rodeo, winning twice there, once for novice and the other in the open class. His team won the wild horse race one year.
Attending as many rodeos as possible throughout the summer, he won at the Wapella Rodeo this summer, and attends rodeos in Manitoba and North Dakota. He has been riding in the Canadian Cowboy Association ever since.
The CCA is a major stepping stone for the careers of many professional rodeo champions and contestants attending the Canadian and National Finals Rodeo. It is also to help promote the sport to new members through the public and media.
Carrier just returned from the CCA finals in Saskatoon but had a rough go at it.
He was bucked off the horse in Round 1 but placed second in the second round. In Round 3, the horse's flank strap came off and he was awarded a reride.
The flank strap is the belt around the horse in front of their hind legs. This strap is tightened when the horse leaves the chute, signaling the horse to buck. At any time during the eight seconds, this flank strap comes off, a reride is offered, and this is what Carrier had.
It is also the strap that the pick-up riders unlatch to stop the horse from bucking. This strap does not harm the horse.
The reride horse slammed Carrier’s head into the post on his way out of the chute and he was bucked off.
Carrier said, with a shot to the head like that, he decided to sit out the last round.
His father Claude resides in Quebec, while his mother Joanne George moved out a year ago.
Carrier is engaged to Alayna and has a two-year-old son. Carrier is a part owner of Eagle Overhead Doors in Arcola.
It was not the ending that Carrier was hoping for, but he will return to his work and continue to put in overhead doors, and next year take to the rodeo circuit once again, hoping for a better year.
