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His legions of fans knowhim as Scamper, Eeatestbarrel horse on the planet.But owner CharmayneJames Rodman knowshim as the horse whosimply never gives up.

WRITTEN BYANNE LANCPHOTOGMPHED BYKATEY BARRETT

rHE ILAIN BAY GELDING nibbles at fall stubble, keeping a close eye on his

Paint pasturemate. A quick look tells you the bay's of Quarter Horse de-

scent-compact build, forearms the size of a sprintels thighs, a well-muscled

hip that hints of power. Let your look linger, and you'd see that the years

have left subtle calling cards. An enlarged knee. A puffy hock' Slightly

sunken back. Droopy lower lip. Marble-sized hollows above each eye'

Chances are you'd size him up as'Just another bay horse'" But then,

you'd have no way of knowing that the gelding's ordinary brown exterior

packages a living-and still competing-legend. Maybe you've heard of

him: Scamper, l0-time world champion bamel horse; winner of over $1

million in his 1l-year o'pro" career. And you'd never guess that he's just a

few short weeks away from vying for an llth world title-at the age of

17-at the National Finals Rodeo, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

But he hasn't always been the one to beat. If not for the gust of fate that

blew an adolescent named Charmayne James into his life, Scamper might

well have raced down a road to complete obscurity, if not destruction. Theirs

is the ultimate movie-script story-one that inspires daydreams in every

young girl who aims her hometrained horse at a set of barrels, and respect in

anyone who,s leamed how much harder it is to stay on top than to get there.

HELLO,WORLDThe year 1977 produced an eclectic mix of American milestones. Jimmie

carter had just claimed the white House, rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley

met his untimely demise, and moviegoers from coast to coast were flock-

ing to George Lucas' "Star Wars." And, although it wasn't considered an

historical event at the time, I977_May 1, to be exact-was when the horse

destined to shatter every barrel racing record known to rodeo came slip-

slidin'into the world.Sired by Gill's Sonny Boy, by Sonny Gill, and out of the mare Drapers

Jay, by Headed West, the plain little unmarked foal was registered with

the American Quarter Horse Association as Gills Bay Boy, and called

"Bay" for short. Gills BaclBoy might have been a more fitting moniker, as

his somewhat cantankerous personality emerged.

Bay's breeders, Buddy and Jerry Draper, of Pueblo, Colorado, have

HORSE & RIDER

vivid memories of his first 2 years. Buddybreaks young horses on the Drapers' cat-tle ranch, and he intended to turn Bayinto a rope horse. But for 30 days straight,the horse wouldn't quit bucking. In oneparticular training session, Bay blew upand fell over backward on top of Buddy,landing him in the hospital for a week. Atthat point, Buddy holleied "uncle": Theincorrigible horse would be sold.

"I(nowing what we know now, naturallywe always wonder what might have hap-pened if we'd kept working with him, es-pecially as a barrel horse," says Jenf/, abarrel racer herseH. "But he just wouldn'tstop bucking, and we {igured one ofus inthe hospital was enough. W.e took him toan auction at La Junta, and didn't evenstick around to see who bought him."

Well, the buyer was Tom Ferguson,who nabbed the bay bucker for $550,and put him to work moving cattle at anarea livestock sales yard. He remembersthe year or so that he owned him.

"He was all horse. He knew when hewas mounted, and he made it clear thatyou were not to mess with him," Fergu-son says. "You know, he had a lot ofhead, even then. And he's still runnin'on that now. isn't he?"

Hear1, hot head and all, Bay was soldagain, at age 4, to a hand who "rodepens" at a Clayton, New Mexico, feedlotowned by Charlie James and family. Andthat's where Gills Bay Boy would meethis fouth and final owner-Charmayne,the fearless, riding-crazy daughter ofCharlie and hi" r,'ife. Cloria.

81 lhal time. Ba1's reputation as asmart-but-spooky, high-strung mountwas locally renowned. But Charliethought the horse would provide just thekind of challenge the 12-year-old Char-mayne would relish.

HELLO, PARTNERHe was right. Now, over a dozen yearslater, Charmayne has vivid recall of theday when she was introduced to herhorse of a lifetime.

"My dad said, 'There's a little bayhorse down there in the pen. Go get onhim and ride. But be careful. 'cause hebucks.' So I get on and start loping him.He's wanting to buck, and I'm fustlaughing. I think Scamper sensed rightthen that I was no threat to him. that Iwas just a kid. He kinda liked me."

From thefirst day she climbecl onto therowdy young horse's back, arul laughedwhen he tested her grit, Charmo,ye andScamper haue been a team.

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She maneuvered him around somebarrels on that very first ride. "He wasreal well broke, and he had a good stop'slide, and spin from working cattle,"Charmayne explains. "He got his nick-name from my dad. He said, 'Yououghta call him Scamper, 'cause he surescampers around those barrels."'

Charlie bought Scamper for his daugh-ter, giving $1,100 for him. Charmayne,like so many other young girls, was inlove with the notion of barrel racing, andwhen she wasn't helping with the feedlotcattle, she was practicing barrels. Withina month, Scamper was running barrelsfull out, and he soon began taking homethe top prizes from local jackpots andsmall rodeos throughout New Mexico.

It didn't take anyone long to see thatScamper l,'as dereloping into an e\cep-tional barrel horse, as he started rackingup wins on the amateur rodeo circuit inNew Mexico and surrounding states. In1983, at age 13, Charmayne was issueda pennit to compete on the pro circuit,and then the real fun began. Six-year-oldScamper won at Dodge City, I(ansas, inonly his second pro-rodeo competition.

"I knew then that I had a horse whocould run with the professional girls'horses," says Charmayne. "But I stilldidn't realize exactly what I had."

In 1984, Charmayne obtained her full-fledged pro card, and with her mom be-hind the wheel of the family's pickup,hauled Scamper across the country tomore than 70 rodeos. Win after win fol-lowed, netting $53,499 in eamings, andthe whole enchilada in barrel racingachievements: the Women's Pro RodeoAssociation World championship (basedon year-long eamings); the National FinalsRodeo championship (based on monieswon at the NFR); the WPRA Rookie of theYear award; and a Dodge truck that Char-mayne wasn't old enough to drive.

Scamper and his diminutive cowgirl palhad proven their right to run with the best,and from that point on, they've lived theirlives on the rodeo trail. Chamayne evenfinished high school while on the road.HaHway through her sophomore year, sheswitched to a certified correspondenceprogram (American Schools), from whichshe received her diploma.

BACKSTAGE WITH SCAMPERFast-for"ward to early 1994. Despitewidespread speculation that he was tooold, too sore, and too outweighed by theodds to pull it off again, Scamper recentlyhas won his sixth NFR-and his l0th con-secutive world title. He's surpassed the

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$1 million mark in earnings and, withthis the year of his 17th birthday, thegutsy little horse still is exhibiting the fireand drive of a -year-old. Over the years,Scamper and CharmaYne (now 24, andmarried to pro roper Walt Rodman) havesmashed Professional Rodeo CowboysAssociation records for the most consecu-tive world titles, and tha most titles wonin a single event.

It's the end of February, and the fa-mous duo is competing at the HoustonLivestock Show and Rodeo-boasting thehighest purse money, biggest arena, andgreatest all-around hoopla on the entirepro circuit. This is the final weekend, andihe last of four go-rounds. Scamper hassteadily improved through the two-weekperiod, progressing from l0th place inihe first go, to sixth, then to fourth.

Behind the chutes in the Astrodome,the l5-hand rodeo veteran seems un-fazed by the cramPed, chaotic sPacethat's over{lowing with parade wagonsand ponies, restless saddle bronc ridersmilling about, and numerous other barelracers trying to warm up their horses. Acalm-looking Charmayne jogs Scamperin tight circles and figure eights, lightlyspurring him to keep him sharP.-

A thin coating of sweat has darkenedthe horse's shiny bay coat, and on his backis the worn but sturdy NFR championshipsaddle from l984*not for sentimental rea-sons. but because it's the most comfort-able for both horse and rider. Scampersuddenly dances sideways in a little jig,as if to say, o'C'mon, let's get going!"

It's almost time. CharmaYne andScamper sidle up to Walt, who's aboardhis roping horse near the gate. Scamper'sears flicker, and his bright eyes are onthe action in the arena, where CharlotteSchmidt's horse has just blazed throughthe electronic-timer beam in 18.16 sec-onds. That's the new time to beat, andScamper is next-and last-to go.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, let'sgive a rousing welcome to lO-time worldcha*piott SC4I40IUMMMMMMPER! ! ! f'thunders the announcer. Then, Scamperblasts into the arena to the appreciativehoots and hollers of 58,000 rodeo-manicTexans. He completes the cloverleaf pat-tem in his usual freight-train fashion, trip-ping the clock at 18.10-winning the

continued on Page 72

For Channayne, homc is whereaerScamper is. Sometimes that's a nhite-fenred rcnrch near Galt, Califomia, bur'often

her homc is simply a,top hi's baclt,or at the end of hi"s Lead roPe.

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CLOSE UPcontinucdfrompage 24

go-round and the overall average, and cap-turing the whole prestigious Houston eventfor the 10th time. Waiting in the wings isyet another championship saddle, as wellas a check for $13,179 and change' Notbad for two weeks'work.

Back behind the chutes, CharmaYnegraciously accepts a stream of congralu-i-atory hugs and handshakes- as she deftly,"rnou", Scamper's tack and wraPs' Shegives him affectionate pats as each itemiomes off. Amazingly, Scamper alreadyhas caught his breath, and is standing ina relaxed pose, his eYes fixed on hisblonde mistress as she darts around him'

Charmayne is aPProached bY a rodeoworker, who leads her away to the wait-ing press. Left behind with Walt, Scam-pei watches his best buddY dePart'then-ignoring all the frenzied activity,and the video replay of his winning runon the Astrodome's enormous screen-heexpels a mighty yawn.

Galt, just south of Sacramento. After get-ting off to a roaring start for the year, he'son R&R-u circumstance that won't sitwell with him for long'

'oscamper was never a horse who didgood with long layoffs," Charmayne ex-plultt.. "But if you can just run him atth" good rodeos, keep him fresh, and nothaul him up and down the road at I00miles an hour, you can keeP him goingright along." No doubt dozens of pro bar-,"l ru""tt wish the formula for consistentwinning were that simple. But that'spretty much all there is lo Scamper'siime-tested routine. He doesn't even runpractice barrels between rodeos; in fact,at the 20-acre Rodman ranch, there isn'ta single barrel in sight.

For the Rodmans, home is a rarely vis-ited place. A caretaker looks after thehorses and the house, where an entireroom is filled with 30-some trophy sad-dles. But to Scamper's owner, the awardspresented to Scamper alone are far moreimportant than the saddles, the grand-prize trailers, the appearances on Good-Morning

Amnri'ca, CBS This Moming, andA Cunent Affair, or the profiles in SporfsIlLustrated, People, and US magazines'Five times each, he's been named NFR

Horse With The Most Heart, and AQHABarrel Racing Horse of the Year'Inl992,he received the AQHA Silver SPurAward, granted to a horse who brings out-standing renown to the breed.

"Thssilver Spur was especially neat,because amidst all the great cuttinghorses, reining hoises, show horseso andracehorses everywhere' they gave theaward to Scamper," saYs CharmaYnewith obvious delight.

On this cool, sunnY moming, ScamPeris full of pent-up energy as Charmayneleads him out of his stall for grooming'"He's pretty fresh right now," she ob-,"*"*, laughing as Scamper playfullybutts her in the chest with his head' "I tryto exercise him every day when we're noton the road, but he never seems to runout of steam." That point is later provenwhen Charmaylle climbs aboard, andScamper immediately breaks into an ex-citedlog, ears pricked, tail plumed-, andhead iossing impatiently. He's a friskycolt trapped in an older horse's body'

Indeed, Scamper's body is fascinatingto behold; the nimble way he uses it isbelied by its battered underpinnings' Justtake a good look at the legs, and everyone of his actual horse years is clearly

THE PLACE THEY CALL HOMEOne month later, Scamper is back at theRodman ranch in the Califomia town of

visible, like trunk rings on an aging tree.The permanently enlarged right hock

is the result of two injuries, I0 yearsapart. The ballooned right knee, also per-manent, developed from long-standing,degenerative bone disease, which in 1992led to a bone spur and a subsequent slabfracture. Surgery was performed by emi-nent Texas veterinarian Robert Lewis,and Scamper was successfully runningbarrels againjust 90 days later. (Io quoteDr. Lewis: "That horse has a motor in himthat just won't quit.")

"That knee is...probably the worstknee anybody's ever seen," Charmayneadmits. "But I watch it closely, and I dophysical therapy on it. Other than that,Scamper...is basically sound."

YOU FIRST, MY FRIENDIn an effort to keep him that way, Char-mayne has been gradually taperingScamper off from competition, savinghim for the venues offering the largestpurses. Of the B0 rodeos targeted for1994, she planned to ride Scamper inonly I0 or so. At the rest, she'd competeon her younger barrel horse, the Paintshe calls Magic, that she's been bringingalong for several years. Although Magic

eamed about 10 percent of the $103,609in prize money that Charmayne won in1993, she's quick to point out that everysingle one of her world championships isultimately attributable to Scamper.

Her $1,100 horse is now virtuallypriceless, and in caring for him, Char-mayne automatically puts his weHare be-fore her own. When there's a gap betweenrodeos, she won't even consider leavingScamper with friends, and flying homewithout him. "If he needs to come home,I'll haul him home," she states. "I don'tcare how far I have to drive to do it."

His exercise session now complete,Scamper's back in the pasture with Magic,and the two finally have settled down tograzing. Scamper steadily works his wayover to the fence where Charmayne isstill standing, keeping his attention fixedon her as he nibbles. She watches him,too, with a pensive expression.

After all these years of close compan-ionship, is there a certain telepathy be-tween horse and rider?

'oYeah, I think so," Charmayne qui-etly replies. 'oYou know, I've hardly everbeen separated from Scamper. When hehad that knee surgery 2 years ago, I wasaway from him for a whole week." Her

voice catches. "That was the longesttime. Ever."

If it's possible to believe in equine-human telepathy, then it's also possible toimagine that a lucky twist of fate broughtthe two together. "I definitely think it wasall part ofa plan, the way every4hing hap-pened just righto" Charmayne declares. "Iwas at the right age, at the right placeo andScamper needed a friend right then.'l

Her eyes suddenly mist over. "As faras I'm concerned, Scamper's the great-est horse that ever lived. You can't muchfault what he's done."r

Tracking down this elusive pair to schedule aday's visit, was a monthsJong challenge forAustin, Texas-based freelancer, Anne [ang.'nVVhen the appointed day finally anived,"says Anne, "l went to Galt, Califomiq as acoolly detached journalist. But I left there asolid hn. Scamper is lMng proof that miraclesdo happen." €alifornia photographer lbteyBarrett, unfamiliar with the rodeo world,went to capture the "essence" of some kindof wonder holse. 'olYhat I saw was a plain,little brown horce," recalls lhtey, "and Ithought to myself, 'This is ffie Scamper?'ThenI saw his eyes. They're indescribablethere'ssuch depth and intelligence in them.'i