Brayden Barrett - Hay

Name: Brayden Barrett-Hay
Hometown: Uxbridge, ON Canada- now living in Vernon BC Canada
Sponsors: Mongoose bikes, RST suspension, Kali Protectives, Title components, BigWhite mountain and DHaRCO!
Discipline: Freestyle mountain bike athlete
Instagram: braydenbarretthay

Favourite tune to listen to on the bike:
Lay it on the line - Triumph. Throw back to the early Joyride 150 days!

Tell us about yourself, who are you, things people might not know about you outside of your riding.
Tough to choose! I have so many stories I don’t think people would believe, but once when I kid we had one of our pet cows die in the house. He had pneumonia so we brought him into the house to keep him warmer. Then in the middle of the night he dropped dead and we had to drag him out by hand. He was a breed called a miniature zebu though so they aren’t as big as a normal cow lol.

Competition or just riding?
I used to be all about competition, these days though just loving being on my bike, doing my own thing trying to be creative.
What’s your all time favourite mountain biking trip?
I worked for Cirque du Soleil for a month doing shows in Saudi Arabia, to this day my favourite riding trip!

What do you love about riding?
I love how independent and creative you can be in riding. I really enjoy trying to push my own style and way of riding. It’s fun trying to push what is seen as possible on a bike in some way. No better feeling than stomping something you’ve never seen done before.

What are you most proud of achieving through riding?
When I was young my dream was to ride professionally, when I turned 19 I was hungry to be a top slopestyle competitor I told myself I wasn’t aloud to party, drink or do drugs. I wanted to be 100% focused on riding and competing. I told myself once I podiumed a pro contest I could have a drink. I felt I had to earn the right to let loose. 2 and half years later when I was 21 years old I won GoPro games in Vail Colorado. My first pro podium, I’ve never felt a more content feeling that cracking that bottle of Champaign on that podium.

One tip you would give to a grom wanting to become a pro rider like yourself?
Do it for the love the way you love to do it! Don’t let getting caught up in what others are doing take away from your ability to be creative and have fun on your bike.