Page 88 - May 2017

CHAYNI CHAMBERLAIN
An 11-year-old fifth-grader at White Horse Christian Academy who lives in Stephenville, Texas
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Match an enthusiastic and hard-working youngster with the right horses, and success is bound to happen. Chayni
Chamberlain is living proof of that axiom. At only 11 years old, she is already an accom- plished barrel racer who in 2015 qualified for the $1 million RFDTV’s The American.
Chayni’s parents, Casey and Callie, have also been instrumental in Chayni’s progress. They compete—Casey as a heeler in team roping and Callie in barrels—and they have encouraged her efforts.
Like many children of horse people, Chayni began riding at a very young age. She learned her earliest lessons from her pony, Tonto.
Chayni and “Flo Jo” qualified for the RFDTV’s The American after winning the semi-finals in Fort Worth, Texas, marking her biggest win to that point.
“I knew when I was three that I wanted
to run barrels,” Chayni said. “I went to a lot of rodeos with my mom and I just remember knowing I wanted to do that, too. My parents would say I don’t like to lose at anything.”
Two Quarter Horses have played important roles for the Chamberlain family. Initially, Callie ran barrels on Dat Flowin Bunny
(Flo Jo), while Casey team roped with Kings Shining Star (Ringo). Chayni was probably always going to get Flo Jo as her own barrel horse, but she admits that getting Ringo might not have been the original plan.
“I stole my daddy’s heel horse, Ringo, and trained him to run barrels,” Chayni said. “He was my first 6 & under horse, and we won lots. I loved running him so much.”
Ringo had been Casey’s mount when he and Steve Purcella won the 2007 Bob Feist Invitational Team Roping Classic in 2007. Callie says that Ringo taught Chayni as much as she taught him.
“He was 15 at that time and was as sure- footed as a horse came and great-minded,” said Callie.
Flo Jo has developed into an even better partner for Chayni because the two of them have just clicked. After Chayni qualified for The American at age nine, she and Flo Jo received a tremendous amount of press cover- age. Reporters loved the little girl and the gray gelding.
“Flo Jo is just one of those dream horses— he is as honest as one can be,” said Callie. “The best part about both horses is they allowed Chayni to start slow and then gain speed as she asked for it, and that was such a confidence builder. As a parent, you want your kids to learn to crawl before they walk or walk before they run. It’s the exact same way in teaching kids to ride horses.”
“My parents would say I don’t like to lose at anything.”
Chayni and Flo Jo qualified for The American by winning the semi-finals in Fort Worth, Texas.
“Winning the semi-finals was the larg- est win I have ever had,” Chayni said. “We had some great wins at the ERA (Elite Rodeo Athletes) rodeos last year in Salt Lake City, Utah, which was really fun.”
Chayni has performed well in Better Barrel Races (BBR) events. She has won saddles in American Junior Rodeo Association (AJRA) and High Plains Junior Rodeo Association (HPJRA) competition.
Her barrel racing schedule keeps her extremely busy, but she keeps to her school studies, also. She loves math, and while she doesn’t have to worry quite yet about college, she’s thought about attending Tarleton State University in her hometown.
Though football is the sport of choice for many Texans, Chayni says she loves basketball. She also enjoys watching horse racing on television and would eventually like to attend the races in person.
“It’s super exciting,” she said. “I love the thrill of the race and how hard the horses try.” Chayni understands a horse’s desire for speed
because she experiences that with her barrel horses. She and Flo Jo have that same competitive fire.
“I would love to qualify for The American again and go after a BBR and Martha Josey Championship,” Chayni said.
Don’t bet against her achieving those goals.
86 SPEEDHORSE, May 2017
YOUTH INDUSTRY PROFILE