story by Michele Toberer
At 18 years old, Jacques Trahan is about to transition into the world of adulthood but is fully enjoying his final year as a Louisiana High School Rodeo competitor before he does. Born and raised in Hackberry, Louisiana, the homeschooler plans to study for a business degree at Panola College in Carthage, Texas next year, while he competes on the college’s rodeo team. He started out in the junior division of the LHSRA as a 7th grader, and currently competes in team roping, steer wrestling and tie-down roping. Jacques is proud to be a second-generation LHSRA competitor; his dad, Mark Trahan was the 1983 LHSRA Champion Steer Wrestler during his senior year of high school. Jacques hopes to finish his senior year with a state title of his own, as he is currently leading the standings in tie-down roping.
Jacques’ parents, Mark and Julie Trahan, are both very supportive of Jacques rodeo aspirations, and proud of his accomplishments. Mark himself, not only competed in LHSRA but went on to college rodeo for McNeese State University, and also rodeoed in the PRCA for several years. Seeing his son achieving his own goals is very rewarding. Jacques is a three-time national finals qualifier in tie-down roping; twice in junior high, and last year for the high school national finals. He was the 2019 LHSRA Reserve Champion Tie-down Roper, as well as the reserve champion LJHSRA tie-down roper in both 2015 and 2016. Although tie-down roping is Jacques’ favorite event, he enjoys competing in steer wrestling, and heeling for his partner Kase Busby at the rodeos. He plans to compete in all three events at the college level but will focus on tie-down roping as he steps into the Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association ranks. Since turning 18, Jacques recently bought his first PRCA permit and is looking forward to making his mark at their rodeos soon.
The Trahans are all employed at Louisiana Alligator Wholesale where they raise alligators, selling both alligator meat, and hides. “We have approximately 30,000 alligators that we keep in air conditioned and heated barns as they are raised. We start by hatching the alligator eggs, then raise the alligators until they are approximately 5 to 6 feet long. Each barn has four pools that they are kept in as they grow. It’s quite an operation; we alternate between cleaning the pools and feeding the alligators every other day. So, one day we’re cleaning pools and the next we are feeding them their high-protein pelleted fish feed. I work in the back deck which is the skinning and processing room. We sell hides to customers like Louis Vuitton, and meat to restaurants like Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen.” Besides his goals of making the PRCA circuit finals and hopefully qualifying for the NFR one day, Jacques plans to continue working in the alligator business in his future. The family also raises beef cattle on their family land. “I like to go duck hunting and crabbing in some of the marshes on our land. There’s always something fun to do in Hackberry.”
Jacques is very thankful to his parents for all of their support, and to Dusty Izard for all the help he’s given him over the years. “Dusty has helped me so much with my horsemanship and so much of how I am as a roper today. I just can’t thank him enough.”
