by Darell Hartlen
When the Calgary Stampede announced that they were revising their rodeo’s format, limiting entries to 20 contestants per event and upping the pot to the tune of $1.6 million, they knew that they’d attract the best-of-the-best in the sport of professional rodeo.
So how do you go about gathering 20 of the top cowboys and cowgirls in the world? You take the top five money earners from the Canadian Finals Rodeo, match them up against the top ten from the National Finals Rodeo, invite the winner from your spring indoor rodeo (Rodeo Royal) and then hand-pick four more contestants to round out the bill, that’s how.
When it came time for the Stampede’s selection committee to choose their hand-picked Stampede qualifier positions for 2006, one of the names that came to mind was barrel racer Charmayne James.
After a quick glance at her resume, how could you not ask her to attend the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth?” The Texas-based cowgirl is an 11-time world champion, the all-time money earner in her event, and was the first woman to earn the No. 1 back number at the National Finals. Her list of accomplishments goes on and on.
There was one small detail that might throw a hitch in their plans…James retired from active competition in 2004.
However, when Stampede rodeo chairman Bryce Nimmo called James at her ranch in Texas and explained the new format to her and extended an invitation, she quickly accepted.
“Bryce called me and asked if I wanted to come, and I said ‘yeah, if the ground’s pretty good, I’ll come,’” James explained.
And she’s not the only one coming out of retirement for the event. Her world champion horse Cruiser will be, too.
“I’ve been working on him for about two weeks,” she said. “He was so fat he looked like he was going to have twins,” she laughed. “Now he’s down to one; he’s lost one. He’s liking the attention and looks great.
“I figured for that kind of money, he wouldn’t mind running, and I wouldn’t mind getting him ready for it.”
Just in case, she’ll also be bringing some backup with her. “I’ll bring another horse named Charlie. He’s been to a few rodeos. He’s dark brown. He’s black-looking right now, but in the summer he turns brown.”
When James retired, she did so at the top of her game but felt it was time to move onto some other things in her life.
“I retired because I couldn’t have a family (and rodeo at the same time),” she explained. “I didn’t want to spend my whole life just going to rodeos and miss out on having a family or anything else.”
But with the chance to win $100,000 during the Stampede’s final performance alone, it wasn’t that hard of a decision to make the trip to Calgary.
“This is fun because I still love to compete and love my horses and to get them out and do stuff with them. This gives me a chance to do that somewhere fun.”
Once she gets to Calgary, that will be it for her travel itinerary, something quite different from the many miles most rodeo contestants pack on, especially at this time of the year.
“To think about heading out and entering Fourth of July rodeos and be gone for a month, I don’t even want to think about that,” James added.
However, James does look forward to coming up to Calgary and seeing all her old rodeo buddies. “When you’re not rodeoing anymore, you just don’t get to see them too much.”
Here is the complete line-up of barrel racers competing at the 2006 Calgary Stampede:
Pool A (July 7-10):
• Rayel Robinson, Alix, AB (CFR/Rodeo Royal)
• Joleen Seitz, Savona, BC (CFR)
• Linda Vick, Hesperia, CA (NFR)
• Talina Bird, Post, TX. (NFR)
• Sheri Sinor-Estrada, Alamogordo, NM (NFR)
• Denise Adams, Lufkin, TX (NFR)
• June Holeman, Arcadia, NB (NFR)
• Debbie Renger, Okotoks, AB (Stampede invite)
• Jill Bishop, Edmonton, AB (Stampede invite)
• Tammy Key, Ledbetter, TX (Stampede invite)
Pool B (July 11-14):
• Tara Muldoon, Sherwood Park, AB (CFR)
• Raylee Edwards, Lethbridge, AB (CFR)
• Sierra Stoney, DeWinton, AB (CFR)
• Sherry Cervi, Marana, AZ (NFR)
• Terry Kaye Kirkland, Billings, MT (NFR)
• Shali Lord, Lamor, CO (NFR)
• Liz Pinkston, Alice, TX (NFR)
• Molly Powell, Stephenville, TX (NFR)
• Marlene McRae, Ramah, CO (Stampede invite)
• Charmayne James, Athens, TX (Stampede invite).
