Macy Auclair - CFR50
Macy Auclair is set to compete at her second Canadian Finals rodeo, after entering 41 rodeos and taking home $16,854.05. She finished seventh in the regular season standings and is the 2024 SMS Equipment Tour Finals Breakaway Champion!
Auclair and her horse Smoken Mirrored Image won Mercedes, TX, Lethbridge, Bassano, and La Crete.
This interview is presented by UP IN STITCHES!
What is it that makes your horse so special to you?
I won Pistol as a filly in a 5$ raffle draw when I was 7 years old and she has been my main mount since the summer of 9th grade. I won my first highschool rodeo, amateur rodeo, college rodeo, pro rodeo and CFR round on her!
What has been your most memorable run in 2024, and what made it memorable for you?
The SMS Equipment tour finals in Armstrong was pretty cool for me! Last year I missed the tour finals by a couple points or something crazy, so this entire year I told myself, I was going to win the tour, and I ended up doing just that! It was kind of a full circle moment for me when last year I was fighting for last spot and this year I came in #1. It felt great to accomplish a goal!
What was different about your rodeo season this year compared to last year or other seasons?
The difference between this rodeo season compared to my first 2 years pro rodeoing was the fact that I knew that I was good enough, I was capable of winning and that I belonged! For a long time I struggled with self doubt and don’t get me wrong it’s still something I battle every now and then but I’ve worked a lot on my confidence in myself and my roping!
Last year I barely snuck into the Canadian finals and it was hard to believe I deserved to be there, but this year every time I backed in the box I knew what my goals were and that I was capable of accomplishing them!
Did you face any challenges this season? Tell us about them.
I had a few weeks that I battled with jumping on different horses. Pistol was cycling so I decided to give her 3 weeks off and ride my bay “Boss”, things weren’t working very good and so in Strathmore I jumped on my yellow mare “Miss Kitty” and thankfully things turned around. I was feeling like I was at rock bottom and needed to change something, I had never roped on Miss Kitty at a rodeo before, and especially not a rodeo as big as Strathmore! It was a mind over matter kind of deal, with being on the road and having to make work with what I had. I’m really grateful I have a few different horses to choose from!
Tell the readers something good that happened to you this season, other than placing at, or winning a rodeo.
This year I travelled alone for most of the season, and then around Benalto Jessi Everett jumped in with me and stayed at my parents with me the rest of the summer! We went through a lot this summer, personal things and battling ourselves in the area at times! But no matter what we were doing or where we were at, she had my back! Practicing together or setting put my boutique at shows! Not many people can come home and live with their traveling partner after being in the same truck and trailer as them for weeks but we never once had an issue! It was pretty cool to be able to go buy our back number ceremony dresses together! She made the summer really fun, and I’m so grateful we both get to back in the box together this year at Roger’s Place!
Who is your travelling partner, and what do you enjoy most about travelling with them?
Jessi Everet! Jess and I are COMPLETE opposites of each other so we really equal each other out when needed and it always has seemed to work out great!
We have a lot of fun together but when it’s game time we both have the same goal and we don’t give eachother any excuses! There’s not alot of people that you can confidently say want you to win as much as they want to but I know with Jessi that every time I back in the box she wants the best for me and vise versa! She’s a sister!
What is the best advice you’d give to readers, about horses and or competing?
Surround yourself with people you aspire to be like!
I truly believe that you become who you hang around with. I’ve had to learn to distance myself from the people who didn’t quite push me to be my best and start surrounding myself around more motivated people and people who truly wanted to see me win!
Travel with people who have similar goals and people who can bring a positive outlook on situations and keep in light in the rig!
5 minute rule! Whether I am traveling with Makayla, Jessi, whoever we give eachother a 5-10 minute rule. No matter how it goes at the rodeo, you do your own thing and let everyone cool off and reflect on their run and after words everyone is mutual! This allows us to have our own time and space and if one of us is upset about our performance (which is bound to happen every now and then) it gives you time to cool off and move on to the next one!
Favourite Canadian rodeo this year, and why?
Armstrong was pretty fun this year, I have struggled at that rodeo previous years but this year for weeks ahead I told myself I was going to win it, I didn’t give myself any other option and when I rolled up I made a great run and my horse worked fantastic! The crowd there is so energetic and the entire atmosphere is a blast!
Especially when you go boating during the day and then get to rope in one of the coolest rodeos in the world at night under the lights!
Which of the other CFR Qualifiers horses would you swing a leg over if given the chance and why?
I’d choose “Popcorn” of Bobbi Hendersons! He works a lot like my Bay, looks super calm and easy. She just wants to please and looks real smooth!
What can you or your horse not live without on the road?
For my horses, they cannot go without their Equinity and Zestera products! They help them so much while on the road! From preventing ulcers to muscle recover, it’s magic!
Mental game; how do you stay mentally strong in the rodeo game, with many ups and downs?
I try to trust my preparation that I do at home and when I leave for the road I have to trust all of the work I’ve put into myself and my horses!
I listen to a couple podcasts, but I also think it’s important to have people in your corner you can call and problem solve with! I’ve had a sports psychologist and I have a lot of knowledge and helpful information that I’ve kept from my sessions with them aswell! It takes a lot of patience!
Do you have plans of heading south this winter? If so, what does this look like for you, where do you plan on entering?
Yes! I head out to Texas right after CFR for a Wrangler photoshoot, and I will be south the rest of the winter! I plan on jackpotting a lot on my other horses and giving Pistol the winter off after a long summer!
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 do! I actually purchased pistols half sister last year right before the CFR!
Her name is “Promise” and she is 2 years old! I’m really excited to get to ride her eventually and I have got some pretty high hopes for her to turn out as cool as her sister! She’s got big shoes to fill that’s for sure!
What was one thing a committee did this year that you appreciated the most?
La Crete always has the best hospitality and they offered my traveling partners and I their big pens with automatic waters. For anyone that knows when you have several days off it means a lot to have a comfortable place to put your horses and know they have a place to stretch out and relax!
La Crete always does so much for us competitors and I appreciate it more than words can explain!
Who is your inspiration or mentor and why?
It’s hard to pick one!
My dad has had a huge impact on my career, he’s who put the rope in my hand and made sure I always rode the best horses! My first year of jr high rodeo I was roping off the horse who was at CFR and just won horse of the year a few years before, “Ice Man”.
My parents have always worked hard to be able to give me whatever I needed to be the best! Watching my dad at the pro rodeos and at CFR always gave me the drive to be there even when there wasn’t breakaway roping in pro rodeo, I knew I wanted to get there one day and do it myself!
My mom had shown me what hard work and grace looks like and what comes from it. She’s the hardest working women I know and has truly built me into who I am now!
Cody Ohl has been a HUGE part of my growth and helps me every day with my roping and how to compete as a winner.
He has a winners mentality and he craves to see me win. Cody took me in when I was just out of college and seen what skills I had but knew I was lacking confidence in myself and my horses. I never would have made the finals last year if it wasn’t for him and his guidance.
I’ve changed as a roper but also as a person since I’ve met Cody and I am grateful for someone with as many accomplishments as him to see something in me and take me in as his own and help me to the winners circle!
It takes a village!
What is your advice for someone who wants to take a shot at making the Canadian Finals Rodeo?
This is really tough to answer because there’s so many things to offer as advice. From the importance of who you travel with to finances, sponsorship, entering, horsepower, the list goes on and on, but I think the number one thing for me would be keep it simple, show gratitude, and never back into the box with any doubts!
I’d like to thank Lakota Bird and her family for all that they do for us breakaway ropers, we would be absolutely no where near where we are at without them. And also everyone who has donated into our auctions so we have money to rope for at cfr and the circuit finals, I really appreciate it!
I’d like to thank my sponsors: Wrangler, Rattler, Tim cooper hats for all of the support and having my back throughout the years, I am proud to represent your company and I’m honoured to me chosen to represent you!
Lastly I need to thank my family for all of the support wether it’s with my rigs, my horses, opening the chute for me before the slacks in the morning or late at night throughout the week, or when I’m stopping in between rodeos! My parents always do whatever it takes to keep me on the road and make sure I have everything I need to win!
None of this would be possible without the good Lord, I am grateful for all of the opportunities he has given me, the family he’s blessed me with and I thank him every single day!
