VAUDREUIL – Two-year-old Ryleigh Boucher is just a regular little girl.
She loves going to daycare, playing with her toys, and cookies.
But in May, after a friend told Ryleigh’s mother, Jade Boucher, about a Gap casting call, she decided to submit the girl’s photo.
“Originally I wasn’t gonna put her in and then we decided last minute just to throw her picture on and see what comes of it,” said Boucher.
A month later, Boucher received a call telling her Ryleigh made it to the Top 10 in North America for her age and gender.
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But that was just the beginning.
Next the Boucher family needed to rally their community to support Ryleigh.
“The community pulled together and everyone started voting every day,” said Boucher.
Two weeks later, the big news: Ryleigh was a winner, and in no time they were in New York City for a Gap photo shoot.
“It’s pretty awesome to see your little girl doing these things,” said Boucher.
“Now, we’re considering maybe getting an agent for her and seeing what could be done.”
The 2015 Gap casting call selected 16 winners worldwide.
Only four are from North America and one of them in Ryleigh, the only Canadian.
Susan Glenn, owner of Glenn Talent Management, said the modelling business isn’t an easy one.
“There’s a lot of rejection,” she said.
“She may go on 10 other auditions and not get anything.”
Glenn said kids need to be the one to enjoy modelling – not the parents.
“You can tell, if they’re dragging their feet, they usually don’t want to go,” she said.
“Why make them go?”
But the Bouchers said they won’t force Ryleigh to do anything she doesn’t want to do.
“We just want her to have a fun childhood,” explained Boucher.
“If she’s game for it, we’re game for it, but if she’s not enjoying it – we’re not doing it.”
WATCH: Gap Casting Call 2015 winners
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