The bloodline for one of barrel racing's top horses, Scamper, seemed to have ended after he was emasculated when he was a couple of years old. That was before the quarter horse gelding helped Charmayne James to a record 11 world barrel racing championships.
But thanks to medical science, Scamper has an off-spring.
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A national teleconference today will provide details about how the 29-year-old Scamper was cloned to create Clayton, born three months ago on a ranch in Boerne, Texas.
"He's like an identical twin; same shoulders, and the confident air about him is amazing," James said of the foal.
"Clayton has little white markings on his face (that Scamper doesn't), and they said that might be a difference between them, but the DNA is an identical match."
James said plans are only to breed Clayton, which could begin in three or four years, so that Scamper's bloodline can be furthered.
Cloning essentially produces a later-born identical twin, thereby preserving and multiplying the genetics of superior animals.
Many horse breeders have used assisted reproductive techniques such as in-vitro fertilization. James said this is only the third horse in the world to survive cloning.
James said the procedure was done by ViaGen, of Austin, Texas, and cost $150,000.
"My interest is in making the best barrel racing horses out there," she said last week in Dallas during the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association regular-season finale. "Heart and try can be passed down through the genetics."
Within the next few weeks, Clayton is expected to join James' three stallions and a herd of mares on her ranch near Athens, about 70 miles from Dallas.
• BIG MONEY -- A news conference today in Houston will announce an increase of payouts for next year's 75th annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
The event winner in all categories except team roping will be paid $50,000; team roping duos will split that amount.
All money earned will count in PRCA world standings, which determine qualifiers for the National Finals Rodeo and world championship titles.
• CANADA RODEO -- Two Americans took titles at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, which concluded Sunday in Edmonton, Alberta.
Tyson Durfey of Colbert, Wash., won calf roping, and Lisa Lockhart of Chadron, Neb., won barrel racing.
Logandale brothers Jason and Randon Adams placed third in team roping.
The Adams are qualified for the Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 NFR at the Thomas & Mack Center, but Durfey and Lockhart are not. Money won at the Canada event does not count toward PRCA standings.
