Tammi Russell

#SundaySpotlight

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Tami Russell has been involved with the horse industry for decades. Her early years were spent showing in the AQHA and competing in hunter/jumper events, but horses weren’t the only thing to hold her interest. “I played six sports in high school and went on to play softball in college. I had to make a choice between horses and sports in my youth, so I got into team roping much later.” Tami’s family is full of ropers, so it wasn’t too long before she got bit by the team roping bug. “ I am left-handed so it took a lot longer to get a handle on it, especially as a header, but I have been team roping since 1993. When I was done with college I sold my car and bought a two horse trailer and a single cab truck.”

In 1994, Tami made her first appearance at the Cinch Jeans USTRC National Finals, just one year after she started training to rope with her right hand so that she could head. “Dewey was my first rope horse and I had him until he was 22. He was so phenomenal and really a once-in-a-lifetime kind of horse. Once I got started [in team roping] it consumed me and I couldn’t rope enough.” Today that same grit and determination has lead Tami to many winner’s circles both in Texas and in Arizona on her primary horse, Peanut.