he Barrieau family from Moncton, 
     
    

    
     New Brunswick was well known 
     
    

    
     and respected in harness racing. 
     
     Rufin, Father Yvon, Alfred, Rosaire and 
     
     Marcel were brothers that left a positive 
     
     legacy in this sport that would make any 
     
     family proud. Gilles Barrieau exhibited 
     
     skills on the racetrack that may someday 
     
     equal or surpass those of his dad, Alfred 
     
     and his uncles. 
     
    
   
   
    
     On Sunday, October 13, 2002, the 
     
     Charlottetown Driving Park hosted the 
     
     finals of the Atlantic Breeders Crown. It 
     
     also featured a drivers’ competition with 
     
     Hall of Famer Ron Waples and seven of 
     
     the most talented drivers with Atlantic 
     
     roots. To no one‘s surprise, Gilles 
     
     Barrieau put on a clinic and reined home 
     
     four winners on that very special race 
     
     date at the GDP. It was just another day 
     
     at the office for this very talented horse- 
     
     man as he inched closer to that very elu- 
     
     sive victory number 3,000. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Gilles Barrieau was one of the most unas— 
     
     suming and talented athletes in the 
     
     Atlantic provinces. Born in 1964, he 
     
     amassed driving statistics that placed him 
     
     in the top echelon of drivers in the 
     
     Atlantic provinces. He was a model of 
     
     consistency and was held in high regard 
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
    
   
   
    
     Photo: Gail MacDonald 
     
     by his peers and patrons of the tracks 
     
     wherever he competed. They knew that 
     
     if Gilles had a “live" horse in a race, he 
     
     would be placed in a position to win that 
     
     race. It was known that Gilles rarely 
     
     made a tactical error during a race. The 
     
     Barrieau name was one of the most 
     
     respected in harness racing in the Atlantic 
     
     provinces and Gilles was doing his part 
     
     to perpetuate that reputation. He was a 
     
     very modest person who did not dwell 
     
     on past success because he was more 
     
     focused on what lay ahead. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Gilles Barrieau was introduced to the 
     
     world of harness racing at Brunswick 
     
     Downs near Moncton, New Brunswick as 
     
     a six—year old perched on the lap of his 
     
     father, Alfred. Gilles explained, “My fam- 
     
     ily and my father were into horse racing. 
     
     It was just a big family thing; everyone 
     
     seemed to be involved.” The first horse 
     
     that he remembered was Wantawz’n 
     
     Winnie at Brunswick Downs. This was a 
     
     good—mannered mare whose reins Alfred 
     
     permitted Gilles to hold with him as they 
     
     toured the oval. 
     
    
   
   
    
     For the next nine years, Gilles learned 
     
     the intricacies surrounding horses and 
     
     the industry from his father. He received 
     
     a good foundation because he started at 
     
    
   
   
    
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