Charmayne James facts for kids
James in October 2009
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| Birth name | Charmayne James |
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| Occupation | Rodeo competitor |
| Discipline | Barrel racing |
| Born | June 23, 1970 Boerne, Texas |
| Major wins/Championships | 11 WPRA barrel racing world championships 7 NFR Average Titles |
| Lifetime achievements | Career earnings $1,896,568 through 2002 |
| Honors | |
| 1984 WPRA Rookie of the Year 2017 ProRodeo Hall of Fame |
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| Significant horses | |
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Charmayne James (born June 23, 1970) is an amazing American former professional rodeo cowgirl. She was a champion in barrel racing, a fast-paced rodeo event. Charmayne holds the record for winning the most barrel racing world championships. She won 11 titles with the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA).
She won ten world championships in a row from 1984 to 1993. Then, she won her final one in 2002. Charmayne also competed in the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) 19 times. She won the NFR barrel racing average title seven times. Her most famous horse was named Gills Bay Boy, but everyone called him Scamper. She won most of her championships with him. Charmayne retired Scamper in 1993. She then retired from barrel racing herself in 2002.
Scamper was honored in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1996. Charmayne joined the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 1992. Later, she was also inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2017. This was a special moment because it was the first time barrel racers were included in the ProRodeo Hall of Fame.
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Charmayne James's Early Life
Charmayne James was born on June 23, 1970, in Boerne, Texas. She grew up in Clayton, New Mexico. Charmayne started riding horses when she was only three years old. By age six, she was already racing around barrels. She always knew that barrel racing was what she wanted to do.
She began her rodeo journey by joining the Rabbit Ear 4-H Club. For a long time, barrel racing was the only event women competed in at Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) events. It's still one of the most popular rodeo events, second only to bull riding.
As a young girl, Charmayne rode a horse named Bardo. They competed in amateur rodeos for about two years. After Bardo passed away, Charmayne found her next special horse. Her father bought a four-year-old American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) gelding for $1,100. He was meant to help with cattle.
At first, the horse was a bit difficult. But Charmayne worked hard to train him for barrel racing. This horse became known as Scamper. His nickname came from her father, who said, "He sure wants to scamper around those barrels!"
Charmayne's Professional Rodeo Career
By the end of 1983, Charmayne and Scamper had been competing in amateur rodeos for about three years. They were ready to move up to the professional level. Charmayne earned her permit for the WPRA after winning a competition in Dodge City, Kansas. Earning a permit means a rider has met the requirements to become a WPRA card holder. This allows them to compete in bigger events and get an official ranking.
In 1984, Charmayne and Scamper started their first professional season. By the end of the year, Charmayne had won over $53,000. She also earned two major titles: the 1984 WPRA World Champion Barrel Racer and the NFR Barrel Racing Average Champion. She was also named the 1984 WPRA Rookie of the Year. This award goes to the best new professional rider.
In 1985, the pair won their second WPRA world championship. They earned over $93,000 that year. They did it again in 1986, winning their third WPRA world championship. They also won the NFR Average title. Their earnings of over $151,000 set a new record for a single-event season in professional rodeo.
In 1987, they won their fourth world championship. Charmayne also made history by becoming the first woman to wear the No. 1 back number at the National Finals Rodeo. This number shows a contestant's top ranking in money earned. In 1988, they won their fifth world championship. Charmayne and Scamper earned more money than any other professional rodeo competitor that year. They even earned more than the men's all-around world champion.
In 1989, Scamper got a cut on his coronet band (part of his hoof) at the start of the NFR. Charmayne had to change Scamper's usual training. This made them miss a few wins in the early rounds. But they still won the world championship title.
In 1993, Charmayne and Scamper qualified for the NFR again. Charmayne wanted to win her tenth WPRA world championship. She felt a lot of pressure, but she wanted to retire Scamper while he was still at his best. The pair won both the 1993 NFR and WPRA world championship titles. This secured Scamper's place as a legend in barrel racing history. In 1992, Charmayne was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. This honored her many wins and her ability to earn more money than male riders.
After Scamper's retirement, Charmayne returned to barrel racing in 1992. She rode a new horse named Cruising on Six, or Cruiser. With Cruiser, she won her 11th WPRA World Barrel Racing Championship title. This showed everyone that her success wasn't just because of Scamper. She was a truly talented rider.
The Amazing Bridleless Win
In 1985, Charmayne and Scamper were competing at the NFR. They had already won five rounds. It was Friday the 13th during the seventh round of barrel racing. As they were racing, something incredible happened: Scamper's bridle fell off!
When they entered the arena, Scamper's bridle caught on the gate. This caused the screws that hold the bit and reins to the headstall to come loose. After rounding the first barrel, the headstall fell off Scamper's head. It was just hanging from his mouth as they raced to the second barrel. Charmayne tried to keep the bit in his mouth. But she had to let go as they approached the third barrel.
As they rounded the third barrel, Scamper spit the bit out. The bridle dropped to his chest. But Scamper was completely focused on the finish line and kept running! Charmayne only had a single rein around his neck to guide him. The pair crossed the timer in an amazing 14.4 seconds. They won the round and the 1985 World Barrel Racing Championship! It was a truly unforgettable moment.
Retirement and New Adventures
Charmayne retired Scamper from most competitions in 1993. He passed away on July 4, 2012, at the age of 35. Scamper received the 1992 AQHA Silver Spur Award. This award is like the "Academy Award" for horses. Charmayne announced her own retirement from competition in 2003. She had won a record 11 WPRA World Championships.
After retiring, Charmayne started hosting barrel racing clinics. She teaches other riders how to improve their skills. She has also trained horses for other rodeo sports like cutting and team roping.
Charmayne got married on December 6, 2004, in Athens, Texas. She married her long-time friend and business manager, Tony Garritano. They have two sons together. When Charmayne isn't traveling for her clinics, she spends time at home in Boerne, Texas. She enjoys raising her sons and working with young horses.
She even came out of retirement a few times for special events. In 2014, she competed in RFD-TV's The American. This event is known as the "world's richest one-day rodeo." It's held every February at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. In 2016, she competed again as part of the Elite Rodeo Athletes (ERA) Premier Tour.
Clayton: Scamper's Clone
Since Scamper could not have babies naturally, Charmayne looked into cloning. She chose a company called ViaGen in Austin, Texas. They performed the cloning procedure for $150,000. In 2006, a colt was born. He was an exact genetic match to Scamper! Charmayne named him Clayton.
A surrogate mare carried the cloned embryo. When Clayton was two years old, Charmayne started him as a breeding stallion. This means he could have babies that would inherit Scamper's genes. Clayton has sired healthy offspring. Many of them have inherited Scamper's amazing traits. The AQHA does not register cloned horses. However, breed registration is not needed to compete in barrel racing or other rodeo events.
Charmayne's Career Earnings and Titles
The NFR lasts for 10 days. At the end of the NFR, two barrel racing champions are named. The World Champion is the rider who earned the most money during the season and the finals combined. The Average Champion is the rider who had the best total time at the NFR. Sometimes, one person can win both titles.
Charmayne James earned a lot of money during her career. She was the leading money earner in professional rodeo in 1986. By 1990, Charmayne had earned over a million dollars in her career.
Here are some of her career highlights:
- 1984: WPRA World Champion Barrel Racer, NFR Barrel Racing Average Champion, WPRA Rookie of the Year
- 1985: 2nd WPRA World Championship
- 1986: 3rd WPRA World Championship, NFR Average Champion, Leading money earner in professional rodeo
- 1987: 4th WPRA World Championship, NFR Average Champion, First woman to wear No. 1 back number at NFR
- 1988: 5th WPRA World Championship, Most money earned by anyone in professional rodeo
- 1989: 6th WPRA World Championship, NFR Average Champion
- 1990: 7th WPRA World Championship, NFR Average Champion, Crossed the million-dollar milestone
- 1991: 8th WPRA World Championship
- 1992: 9th WPRA World Championship
- 1993: 10th WPRA World Championship, NFR Average Champion (Scamper's retirement year)
- 2002: 11th WPRA World Championship, NFR Average Champion (Charmayne's retirement year)
Honors and Hall of Fame Inductions
Charmayne James has received many honors throughout her career.
- 1986: Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame, Amarillo, Texas
- 1988: Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame
- 1992: National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
- 1996: "Scamper" inducted into ProRodeo Hall of Fame
- 1999: St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame
- 2002: Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame
- 2011: Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame
- 2016: New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame
- 2017: ProRodeo Hall of Fame
- 2024: RodeoHouston Hall of Fame
