'This is my passion': 1st Canadian female professional chuckwagon racer debuts in Sask.

Since she was three months old, Amber L'Heureaux was around pony and chariot racing. She watched her mother, father, and grandfather all compete.

"It's kind of in my family," she said. "It's all I know really in life."

Now, L'Heureaux is the first female competitive racer in the Canadian Professional Chuckwagon Association. She made her debut in inNorth Battleford on May 31.

Chuckwagon racing is a heritage sport from when Europeans were settling the west, L'Heureaux said.

"Back in the day, they used to kind of set up makeshift camps and it was kind of a challenge to see who could move camp faster," she said.

It's changed and been refined over the years but still has some traditional aspects, she said. There are two riders in each wagon and they race in a figure eight pattern around the barrels. The track is a half-mile stretch with heats of three or four chariots at a time.

"You are competing against the people not only in your heat but on the whole day racing against the clock," she said.

L'Heureaux was born in Edam, Sask. and currently lives in Glaslyn, Sask. Working with horses drew her to the sportand is part of what's kept her in it for so long.

"I've learned a lot about myself as a person working with them," she said. "There's a bond between me and my horses that's unbreakable."

L'Heureaux started racing with ponies at 14 years oldand moved up to horses at 16. She's now going professional at age 26. Taking care of the animals is a full time job, she said. Shemonitorsthem from about 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day to make sure every horse is happy and healthy.

When it comes to being the only woman on the circuit, L'Heureaux said she didn't really think of herself being any different until people started to mention she would be the first female professional racer.

She said going pro has always been a goal and that her being female had never been a big thing in her previous races.

"So it's kind of been pretty surreal in the last couple days," she said. "The appreciation for kind of women empowerment."

Growing up in the sport, she didn't have many role models, she said. Instead, she worked to become her own role model.

"Now to have kids looking up to me is a very surreal feeling," she said.

Her chariot is easy to spot thanks to its bright pink colours. She said she ended up with the colour by fluke. When first starting as a teenager, there was a great deal on these pink chariot harnesses. Pink has been her colour since.

"It looks flashy and it's bright," she said. "Not too many guys out there have pink, that's for sure."

L'Heureaux hopes to run clean and consistent this season and win rookie of the year.

'They're part of the family'

Chuckwagon racing has drawn controversy in recent yearsas animals have crashed and died in races. To people skeptical of the sport, L'Heureaux said, "come see how they're cared for."

"They're athletes and they're treated as such and they're part of the family," L'Heureaux said. "These horses love what they're doing."

The horses usually eat before L'Heureaux does, she said, and they have a full time massage therapist.

"This is my passion," she said, adding it's frustrating to hear people say she doesn't care about the animals.

"My horses are my life."