Breeding racehorses runs in this western Manitoba family's veins
CBC
Click here to read a version of this story in French.
The Fouillard family has been breeding racehorses in western Manitoba for over 20 years, but it seems like a lot more than racing talent is getting passed down from one generation to the next.
Charles Fouillard, who owns Fouillard Farms, has been breeding thoroughbreds for racing for more than 20 years in the village of St. Lazare. His two sons, Julien and Stéphane, have inherited their father's passion.
"I've always loved horses, ever since I was born," said Julien. "There's something about a horse you can't explain. They're always there for you, they're never angry. I don't think I could go a day without a horse."
Growing up, "we'd come from school and want to go to the barn to help my dad with chores and stuff," he recalls.
"We used to raise Quarter Horses [a fast breed of horse] and riding horses for the public and rodeos."
The brothers and their cousin, Christian Lemoine, launched Fouillard Family Thoroughbreds in 2023. They sold their first horse at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society of Manitoba's latest annual foal sale, held in Winnipeg on Aug. 22.
Their filly, Rise Again, sold for $11,000. Since raising and caring for a foal from birth to sale takes a year and costs around $4,000, Julien said, that represents a profit of $7,000.
Ahead of the sale, Julien said they'd "be happy with anything over $5,000."
"I'm pretty proud of them," said Charles Fouillard. "They really take this seriously. They know more about bloodlines than I do now."
Nonetheless, the students haven't outdone their teacher yet. One of Charles Fouillard's mares sold for $33,000 that day.
His crown jewel remains his mare Escape Clause, whose performances at the Winnipeg racetrack had earned her the nickname "the Assiniboia Assassin."
Escape Clause has won over $1 million racing against some of the best mares in North America.
"She's now in Japan, where her first foal, with Japan's top stallion, sold at six months old for over $1.2 million," said Charles.
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