Brooke Wills - CFR50
Brooke Wills is back for her fourth Canadian Finals Rodeo with the 2024 Horse With The Most Heart, Fames To Blame aka Famey.
The 2019 Canadian Champion Barrel Racer competed at 34 rodeos, pocketing $37,699.47 after placing at 19 rodeos, and winning Bonnyville, Raymond, and La Crete.
What does it mean to you to have your horse be voted Horse of The Year by your peers?
I feel so incredibly honoured that my peers think of Famey the same way I do. I think this is one of the most prestigious awards to win, especially with how many great horses are going down the road this year. I always felt that one day Famey could win this award and that she deserved to be recognized so I’m just so happy she gets to join the amazing list of horses that came before her. Getting the phone call that she had won, made me so happy.
What is it that makes your horse so special to you?
To me, Fameys desire to win makes her so special to me. There wasn’t one time this year she ever refused to load in the trailer. And I traveled alone all year, just her and I so no buddy horses. Lots of the time the only horse in sight if I stayed over in Bowden and she just takes it all in stride. Never really makes a fuss and is happy to load up and head to the rodeo. We also drive on average 7 plus hours just to get to central Alberta, so she spends a significant more time in the trailer compared to other horses she runs against and that just makes me so proud of her to unload and try her heart out every single time. She never lets me down. It could be pouring rain and muddy or concrete hard and she goes out and makes the same run every time. Usually if something goes wrong it’s my fault haha.
What has been your most memorable run in 2024, and what made it memorable for you?
Ponoka in the rain storm is pretty hard to forget haha. There was not a single piece of dry clothing and it was miserable but Famey went out there and made her typical run. It’s memorable in the fact that I just think of my horse and how she pinned her wet little ears and plowed through the mud and tried hard, no matter the conditions.
What was different about your rodeo season this year compared to last year or other seasons?
I think year after year you still learn something new about your horse and what works and what doesn’t. I made some small adjustments to try to help her out as much as I can. I started feeding cubes in the trailer, wood pellets instead of shavings And I stayed over in Alberta more so Famey didn’t have to have as many miles. Or sometimes I would leave her at Coulee Equine and I would go home for a couple days. I tried to be really consistent with PEMF Therapy and nebulizing. I think she just felt great and ran really strong.
Did you face any challenges this season? Tell us about them.
This year in June, My grandma and close family friend, Cassidy, passed away a day apart. It was tough being on the road by myself, filled with many sad days. I called my Grandma lots when I would drive to help pass the time and usually call her after the weekend to let her know how it went. She spent many many hours in the bleachers cheering us on as kids. I miss our phone calls dearly, but I know her and Cassidy are reunited with loved ones and are watching over.
Tell the readers something good that happened to you this season, other than placing at, or winning a rodeo.
This year, Famey put us in a position where I was able to pick and choose what rodeos I wanted to go to. Allowing me to attend more things in the summer, like friend's weddings, and family celebrations or to take a weekend off and stay home.
Who is your travelling partner, and what do you enjoy most about travelling with them?
I traveled by myself all year. I actually don’t mind going by myself. It’s nice to just do exactly what you want to do and enter for what works best for you. Although driving by yourself isn't the most fun lol
What is the best advice you’d give to readers, about horses and or competing?
The best advice I could give someone would be to take care of your horse. I truly treasure each and every run I get to make on Famey, and I know I'll probably never have a horse like her again. So even if it doesn't always go your way, or you hit a barrel, I still always give her a pet and cookies back at the trailer. Proper care is key. Anything I can do to make her feel her best or make her stay more comfortable. I try to always have a clean trailer for her to jump into as well.
Favourite Canadian rodeo this year, and why?
It’s pretty hard not to pick La Crete as a favorite. Their hospitality is unmatched. I also have to say I enjoyed Buffalo Lake because their ground was amazing. To run a couple sub 17 second runs on a standard pattern just shows how great it was.
Which of the other CFR Qualifiers horses would you swing a leg over if given the chance and why?
They’re all amazing but I think I would choose Pam Morrisons mare, Dyna. She reminds me of Famey with how turney she is so I think she would be fun.
What can you or your horse not live without on the road?
I always make sure I have horse treats for Famey. I always give treats after I give lasix so she gets a little reward and always after my run, no matter how it went.
Mental game; how do you stay mentally strong in the rodeo game with many ups and downs?
I try not to over think things. If I have a bad run I try to figure out what happened and how I can fix it and then move on and don’t watch my video over and over again. There’s usually always another rodeo to go to and at the end of the days it’s just 3 barrels. I really try to use perspective to help me get over a bad run or the ups and down. It may seem like a big deal at the time but somewhere, someone is dealing with something much harder than my tipped over barrel and I’ll get it figured out for the next run.
Do you have plans of heading south to rodeo this winter? If so, what does this look like for you, where do you plan on entering?
I don't have any plans set in stone yet. If I do go down to Arizona, I would probably go in late February or early March. I'm fortunate that Dawson Creek has a beautiful indoor arena and stalls so it's easy to keep riding here during the winter, but Arizona is hard to beat. I love getting my horse in running shape down there. I haven't entered Tuscon in a few years so maybe I'll enter that one if I'm down there during that time.
Do you have any up and coming prospects, and or, what do you look for in a prospect that you could share a little about with readers?
I have a 3 year old gelding by RR Mistakelly and out of Famey which I have high hopes for. He’s in training with Brian Wheeler right now, and Brian is who trained Famey and futuritied her so I’m trying to keep it all the same haha.
What was one thing a committee did this year that you appreciated the most?
I love any committee that offers a hospitality tent haha. But I also really like committees that’s try their best to put on a great production and also to keep the ground as even as possible. Williams lake did a great job with that. And I appreciate Raymond adjusting the pattern so it was out of the muddy spots. Little things like that will definitely get noticed.
Who is your inspiration or mentor and why?
Katie Garthwaite is a person who comes to mind as an inspiration. She’s taken what she was dealt with and faced it head on and is doing everything in her power to crush ALS. Her determination and strong will are inspiring.
What is your advice for someone who wants to take a shot at making the Canadian Finals Rodeo?
I think having the right horse is very important. It can be a long couple months on the rodeo trail so you really need to believe you and your horse are capable of getting there.
Thank you to my wonderful fiancé for all your support. Lane works long hours and then has to feed horses and our other animals we have while I'm not home, which is a lot. He supports me and goes along with my helicopter parent like tendencies for Famey haha. I'm so thankful for him. Also thank you to my parents and sisters for their support. They always watch my videos when I send them and offer their advice or encouragement.
Thank you to my sponsors, Cor Vet Services, Tim Cooper Custom Hats, XLR8 Canada and Zesterra for their support all season Long. They are all a huge part of Famey's and I's success.
