Story by Matt Naber
Team roping header Faith Dubois, 14, and her brother John David (JD) Dubois, 12, joined forces in team roping and also compete in breakaway roping with the LJHSRA.
“JD did everything at a young age, he is very athletic,” said their mom, Jeanne Dubois. “He was riding a bike without training wheels at 2 years old.”
One year later he was riding a horse and roping a dummy.
“I don’t remember being 3, but I’ve seen the pictures,” JD laughed.
JD competes on the first saddle he won when he was only 6 years old, but he hopes to replace it soon.
“I won a roping the other day with a buckle and a bunch of money, a little under $1,000,” JD said. “I’m saving to go to more ropings and buy more ropes and I want to buy a new saddle.”
Faith won her first saddle when she was 10, and plans to win more.
“We practice every day it doesn’t rain, but it rains a lot here,” Faith said.
Rodeo runs deep for this Church Point, Louisiana, family.
The oldest of the Dubois siblings, 18-year-old Luke, started competing when he was 8 years old and passed the rodeo bug on to their other siblings as well; Grace, now 16, Gabe, 9, and Clay, 7. (See related story)
The kids’ uncle Ken Bacque competed at the 1992 National Finals Rodeo in tie-down roping.
“Rodeo goes back generations and generations for us,” JD said. “My grandpas both rodeod and I always have a rope in my hand.”
The Dubois family is setting up a LHSRA scholarship fund in memory of their recently deceased grandpa’s, Larry Bacque and Shelton Dubois, which will be presented at the state finals.
Faith visits her grandma, Judy Dubois daily.
“Faith is my caretaker, she has the softest heart and my mother-in-law is homebound so she goes to see her every day and help her,” Jeanne said. “Baking is her specialty, she is an excellent baker. She cooks breakfast and she bakes way better than me because she spent so much time with my mother-in-law.”
Just like rodeo, her siblings lend a helping hand, or two.
“I bake just about anything,” Faith said, adding that she looks up to her grandma. “I make cakes and cookies, cupcakes and pies. My cookies are my best though. My little brothers Gabe and Clay help, too.”
Faith and JD want to compete professionally when they grow up, but for now they’re focused on winning the National Junior High Finals Rodeo by honing their skills with the Louisiana Junior High Rodeo Association.
“It’s kind of tough, but not the toughest,” JD said. “I like seeing my friends and roping in front of a crowd. I just focus on my roping and try not to think about them.”
Faith agrees.
“Breakaway is the hardest since there’s only one person, so it’s all on you,” Faith said. “I do my best when I’m roping with JD and I’m better at team roping than breakaway since we practice it more.”
This is JD and Faith’s second year of roping together and both agree that being able to practice together all the time is an advantage.
“It’s fun because she will catch almost all of them,” JD said. “I like heeling best, because if you heel them fast then everyone screams and that makes you want to scream too.”
Faith was a LJHSRA reserve champion team roper last year and qualified for nationals in breakaway roping and team roping, and was named rookie of the year for both events in 2020.
“I love everything about it,” Faith said. “Winning feels good and I like winning money.
“I buy a lot of ropes. Like right now, I have probably 10 or 11 ropes. Some are worn out and some are good, but most of them are worn out so I need to get some more,” she laughed.