The first time I ever heard of Teal Hampton was at NBHA State Championships in 2006 after she won the Youth 1D title! Since that time she has been successful in College Rodeo. I have been lucky enough to get to know Teal and the ladies she runs with and they are a wonderful group! Sue Parker was running that year too, Teal's mentor and trainer and I took notice to her winning on "On the Money Red" horses. I meet them all in person a couple of years ago at my ranch and have since enjoyed our friendship. I hope you enjoy hearing about Teal's barrel racing career and her wonderful horses. She is one of the most loving and respectful young ladies I have enjoyed getting to know!
Teal was born in Fort Myers, Florida and her parents took her first pony “rocky” in on trade, for a new truck, along with a pig an old truck and old trailer. Teal has only been barrel racing since she was 14 years old. She is 20 years old and attends school at Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas. Her hobbies are mainly riding colts, rodeoing, and going to barrel races. She plans to major in marketing and hopes to someday accomplish making the NFR.
Teal's number one horse right now is; Blitzs Special Bar, she is a 15.1 hand, sorrel 11 year old mare. With help from Sue Parker, Teal did a lot of the training with Blitz. She got her when she was 4 years old after Robert Wallace put a great handle on her. Teal says, "Blitz has a strong opion about EVERYTHING and she loves me and well that’s about it." Teal also says she is surprisingly calm almost to the point of being lazy sometimes, but is very honest and works so hard for her.
Teal's young horse that is coming on very strong this year is Otoe Hot, aka "Hottie" she is a bay, 15.1 hand 7 year old mare. She also got her when she was 4 after Robert Wallace broke her as well and with help from Sue, they are still in the process of training her. Teal says, "She kind of reminds you of an “old soul” also lazy like Blitz and we actually call her an elephant, as she is still trying to figure this barrel race thing out but thinks she’s fine as long as she has Blitz!"
Some of Teal's best memories on her horses are; On Blitz her favorite accomplishments were winning the 2006 NBHA Youth State Finals also winning the 2008-2009 Southwest Region year end and setting the arena record at Lakeland High School Rodeo in 2006. Some other accomplishments on Blitz were winning the high school rodeo state finals in 2007, placing third in second round high school finals, reserve southwest region 07-08 and placing 4th in the 1st round of College Nationals Finals Rodeo 2009.
Hottie is just getting started but already has a couple of great accomplishments so far; winning the 2010 New Years Eve barrel race in Ft Myers, then running her first pro rodeo at Altus, Oklahoma and being a tenth of a second out of placing. Most recently was 1/23/10 winning the Dash for Cash barrel race 1st in the 1D with 184 entries.
Possibly, the most special horse to Teal is the late “Little Kate Streaker” her favorite accomplishment on Kate was winning Arcadia Rodeo Juniors two years in a row and winning the Perry, GA Tri State 05-06 high school rodeo. Then after a long term injury to her shoulder her second run back she won the Arcadia rodeo again. Kate was Teal's first barrel horse! She was also a 4 year old when Teal got her. Teal says, "She marched to a beat of a different drum. She never did learn how to lope a pretty circle but she was old faithful and gave me the same run every time. I miss her every day and more then words can describe. You only get a horse like her once in a life time."
I asked Teal to share how she trains a horse for the barrel pattern and this is what she likes; "After I make sure they are very broke and have a great education on the basics I start them very slowly and try to always let them move at their own pace. They will tell you when they are ready to move up!"
Speaking of basics, I asked Teal what basics are important to you, she said; "I want them to be extremely broke. I want them to have been rode everywhere and have a “been there seen that” attitude. To understand the basic whoa, back up, to know how to collect up under themself, how to bend and flex both ways, how to counter bend and side step. I want control over every part of their body from their nose to their hip."
When Teal is at a rodeo or jackpot her warm up is the same; "I normally like to do a basic warm up walk, trot, lope, then long trot both ways enough to make sure they are stretched with a few stops and roll back then some counter bends till I feel like they are paying attention but I try not to wear them out. After that and right before my run I try to get away and visualize what I’m about to do, what my winning run will look like. I also make sure I remember what horse I’m on and how they need to be ran."
Teal prefers a horse to be a "free running bendy horse" which was exactly Kate she shared. She is not a very aggressive rider, but both of her current mounts need more from her. Both Blitz and Hottie are push style and she is trying to learn how to be more aggressive to fit their style. "Blitz needs a medium average sized pocket (even though she doesn't always like to do that) and she doesn't need any rate I have to make sure I ride her as far into the turn as I can", shared Teal. She said that Hottie needs to be ran very straight into the barrels and needs very little pocket she also has to be rode as far into the turn as possible
Teal takes conditioning her horses very serious and she rides 4 to 5 days during the week and she tries to avoid working barrels. She feels they already know their job and drilling them over and over will only make them bored. During the week she makes sure they are staying collected, flexing and moving when she asks them too. Mainly she tries to keep them interested in the work trying to do new things and keep them on their toes. She only works barrels if there is a problem with her or her horse and she never runs at home. Slow work is the most important part she says!
Teal rides in a Bob Marshal sports saddle. She uses the reinsman o-ring combo or the carol goosetree simplicity gag on both of her horses. Also she uses the DR pro balancer during the week or before she runs on both horses. She uses an impact gel pad, she runs in polo wraps. She normally works them in different things during the week including some days the DR pro balancer if she feels like they aren’t getting collected. She also tries to work them in a different bit to keep them light in there running bit.
Teal feeds timothy and alfalfa hay, along with Seminole wellness compete safe herbal formule. She uses the finishline total control plus. She takes them in for a vet check every 3 to 6 months depending on how hard her running schedule is. She has a chiropractor come out about once a month and uses Dr. Peggy Fleming, in Brooksville for any holistic medicine as needed.
I asked Teal what she doesn't like to see at a barrel race and she shared; "If I see them beat on their horse. Seldom do I believe it’s the horses fault most problems go back to training or a physical problem." Teal says if you are new to the sport find someone who is good to their horses and already has experience in barrel racing to help you.
If Teal ever has a problem in her horses performance the first thing she does is check for a physical problem and if nothing comes back hurting go back to your basics she says. For alley issues she says, teach them the alley isn’t a terrible place take them in and let them have treats and cool down in there. For rate issues, slow them down ask them to break down to a slower speed and circle the barrel a few times till they calm down. If you are hitting barrels she goes back to her counter bends, and counter bends away from the barrel and circle it till they stop anticipating. Teal says, "Treat a horse as part of the team without them you wouldn’t be there." The last piece of advice Teal offers is, "A smooth run is a fast run. If you stop all the whipping and kicking and just try to make a smooth pretty run it normally helps your time!"
The associations Teal competes in include; NBHA, WPRA and NIRA. She loves the NBHA for the D’s riding younger horse so you do not feel as much pressure as rodeo events. She is doing WPRA and NIRA as she truly enjoys rodeos.
Teal says her mentor and trainer has been Sue Parker. Teal says, "She has taught me everything I know and I owe all my success to her." She would also like to thank Robert Wallace as he broke Blitz and Hottie he taught her a lot about young horses, how to start a horse the right and gentle way.
As far as bloodlines goes Teal has had a lot of luck with and has loved her Wonder Otoe (Blitz, Hottie, & Billy) and Streakin Six (Kate) horses. She tries to find a horse with a gentle kind eye, a medium head set, short back, low hocks, and a low tail set but the biggest thing to her is a willingness to please.
I asked Teal what else has been apart of her winning success in the arena and she says she is open minded to try new things. She loves hearing other peoples opinions on what will help and then she picks and choses what will work for her horses. She also video tapes every run to see what she can do to improve. If she has a bad run, she will watch her videos and see where she went wrong and she will keep in mind there always another barrel race and it’s never her horses fault.
Teal would like to take this time to say a very special thank you to her parents for helping her live her dream. She was a city girl who wanted a pony and she was lucky enough to have parents who got her one. Also to Sue for sticking with her through everything and helping teach her about not only horses but life in general.
Thank you Teal for your interview! I absolutely believe Teal has the right attitude, she is not a gossip, only worries about her own business and is always an example in my eyes of how young women today should treat their horses and carry themselves at rodeos and barrel races!