Jaan Ibarra is the go-to guy for repairing heavy equipment. A plumber by trade, Ibarra comes from a family of plumbers who operate primarily within the Nevada region. While it does take some serious work to make the leap from the family plumbing business in Reno to a role on one of cable television’s top-rated shows, Ibarra seems to be coping pretty well. First introduced in Season 6 of the Gold Rush, Ibarra worked with the Hoffmans for a short while, before he moved on to work with Tony Beets and other crews. In this article, we will take a closer look at the wiki-bio of Juan Ibarra.
Juan is an American businessman, mechanic, fabricator and reality television star known for being part of the Discovery Channel’s hit show Gold Rush, where he worked with various gold mining crews. He is also featured in Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge’s Mine Rescue, where he helps Freddy Dodge fix and improve mining operations. He runs his own company, Ibarra Industries, and has an estimated net worth of $4 million.
Early Life:
Juan Ibarra was born on the 2nd of April, 1983 in Reno, Nevada, United States. He is of mixed nationality, with Mexican and Native American roots, and comes from a family of plumbers. His parents owned and operated the Ibarra Drain Services in Nevada where he learned the tricks and trades of the profession. He attended Hug High School and graduated in 2001.
Career:
He started his career as a mechanic at a local shop in Reno, where he gained a reputation for being skilled and reliable. He also ran his own business, Ibarra Industrial, where he offered his services as a mobile mechanic and welder. He specialized in repairing heavy equipment and machinery used in mining, construction, and agriculture. He started Ibarra Industrial in 2004 and continues to provide service to his customers from big rigs to construction equipment. Also, Ibarra had experience working for a mine in Central Alaska before joining Gold Rush,
On joining Gold Rush:
Ibarra found his way into Gold Rush after he was nudged by his brother-in-law for applying for the job. His brother-in-law, Aaron Pena, is a huge TV fanatic and loved Gold Rush. So, when Gold Rush announced they were in the hunt for a mechanic, Aaron couldn’t contain his excitement. After all, he knew quite the man. So, Aaron set forward to persuade Ibarra to join the team. Talking about the things leading up to his involvement on the show, Ibarra revealed,
“Six months ago, I was working at a mine in central Alaska, taking care of the facility and equipment, when my brother-in-law, who is a big fan of the Gold Rush series, saw a Facebook post that they were looking for a new mechanic for 2015. He kept pressuring me, saying, ‘You’ve got to apply for this.’”
Content with his current life, Ibarra told Pena that while he would not be applying, Pena was free to do so. So, his wife, Andrea Ibarra, and brother-in-law, Aaron Pena, submitted Ibarra’s application and he was selected to appear in the sixth season of the show.
“It all just kind of fell into place after that. It was a weird way that it came to be, just a way lucky thing. It was a good fit from the start. The crew is a great crew to work with. It was really a great experience.”
Working with Hoffman:
Ibarra made an appearance on the sixth season of the show and was part of the Hoffman crew. He was assigned the task of maintaining heavy equipment including the excavators, dozers, and trucks, and the mine’s famous wash plant, which is nicknamed “Monster Red.” Given that Monster Red is an integral part of the mining business, Ibarra was essentially the cog that made things work.
And while Ibarra loved the work, he had a hard time adjusting to the cameras. Talking to a local news outlet, Ibarra revealed,
“Absolutely, the hardest part of the whole job is dealing with the cameras there. They told me early on that we’ve got to get the job done as quickly as we can, but we’ve also got to make sure everything is documented, make sure they get their shot. Ultimately, they are making a TV show, and we have to balance that with the fact that we are mining and we are really trying to be successful at that.”
Beets Crew:
After working with the Hoffmans for three seasons he joined the Beets crew in season nine. Tony Beets, who owns several claims and operates a large-scale mining operation hired Juan Ibarra to help him with his mechanical issues and to drag a new trommel to his site. Following his time on the Beets crew Ibarra has been candid about his experience. He said that he learned a lot from working with Beets and that he enjoyed the challenge of fixing and maintaining heavy equipment. He also said that he had a great relationship with Beets and his family and that they treated him well. Ibarra made 54 Gold Rush appearances until 2021.
Spin-off and partnering with Freddy Dodge:
Juan Ibarra co-hosts with Freddy Dodge on Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge’s Mine Rescue, a reality TV show where they help struggling mine owners improve their operations and become profitable. The show premiered on January 4, 2021, on Discovery and has two seasons so far. The show follows Freddy and Juan as they travel to different locations and use their skills and experience to fix various mining problems, such as equipment malfunctions, low-grade ore, environmental hazards, and relationship issues.
The two are also friends in real life and share similar interests and skills in mining and fabrication. Freddy taught Juan everything he knows about gold mining and helped him become an expert in the field. Juan named one of his sons after Freddy as a sign of respect and admiration.
More works:
Ibarra has also appeared in its spinoffs such as Gold Rush: Dave Turin’s Lost Mine (2019-2022, 9 eps), and Gold Rush: The Dirt (2018-2021, 6 eps). He also made a guest appearance in Josh Gates Tonight hosted by Josh Gates. He has also paired up with Diesel Laptops and is often seen using their equipment.
Personal Life:
Ibara’s skill to repair things and his gold mining career might be the highlight of this biography, it is because he doesn’t like to share much about his personal side of things. Of scant information on his personal life, Ibara is a married man. He is married to Andrea Ibarra and the pair have been together for quite a while. They have four children Juanito Ibarra, Addison Ibarra, Aiden Ibarra, and Freddy Ibarra.
Social Media Presence:
Juan Ibarra has a presence on one social media platform: Facebook. He also has a profile on Discovery’s website, where he is featured as one of the cast members of Gold Rush. On Facebook, he has an official page called Juan Ibarra Gold, where he has over 85 thousand followers. He posts updates on his projects, his business, his gold mining adventures, and his personal life. He also interacts with his fans and answers their questions.
On Discovery’s website, he has a profile where he is described as an experienced mechanic who joined the Beets crew in season nine after working with the Hoffmans for three seasons. He is also said to be dedicated to doing his best for his family and to have left his construction and plumbing business behind to pursue gold mining.
Wiki/Bio Facts:
| Name | Juan Ibarra |
| Birthday | April 2, 1983 |
| Age | 40 years old |
| Father | Juan Ibarra Sr. |
| Birthplace | Reno, Nevada, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Gender | Male |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Education | Hug High School (2001) |
| Profession | Television Personality, Gold Miner, Mechanic, Fabricator |
| Net Worth | $4 Million |
| Wife | Andrea Ibarra |
| Children | Addison Marie Ibarra, Juanito Ibarra, Freddy Ibarra, Aiden Ibarra, |
| Zodiac | Aries |
| Social Media |