Athens, Texas Charmayne James, the reigning Women's Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing world champion and the most successful woman in rodeo history, announced today that she will retire from elite competition to focus on her other business interests.

"I don't have anything more to prove as a competitor," said James, 33, who earned 10 consecutive world championships between 1984 and 1993 and claimed a record 11th world title in 2002. "Rodeo has been great to me, but I don't feel bad about not going to all the big rodeos. I have what I love to do, right now, here at home."

James says that rather than traveling across North America pursuing major rodeo wins, she will stay close to home and tend to her business affairs, which include horse breeding, horse training, barrel racing clinics, sponsor relations, and a feature film about her earliest days as a barrel racing prodigy.

According to her business manager Tony Garritano, James sold her life story to Hollywood film producer New Line Cinema for an undisclosed amount last year. She will serve as a consultant to the films' director, who is yet to be named. A script is already being inked, said Garritano.

In addition, James will focus on the breeding and training of barrel racing horses. She will conduct barrel racing clinics, both in the United States and abroad. In her role as one of the most recognized and marketable stars of rodeo, James will continue her relationships with corporate entities that include Wrangler western wear, Coors Brewing Co., Dodge Truck, and equine products manufacturer Professional's Choice. Garritano says that James also wants to explore the possibility of working as a television commentator during rodeo telecasts.

For the first time in 20 years, the famous horsewoman will not appear on the contestant roster at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) come December. However, James says she is okay with that. She will continue to compete on a more modest scale, mainly at competitions in her home state of Texas.

James won her first world title at age 14 at the '84 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. The following year, she famously made a bridleless run on her horse, Scamper, during the seventh round of the championship-naming NFR, rodeo's equivalent of the Superbowl.

In 1986, she won more prize money in a single year than any rodeo contestant, male or female, and in 1987, she became the first woman barrel racer to ever wear the No. 1 back number at the NFR, an honor reserved for rodeo's highest money winner following the regular season.

In 1993, she surpassed the $1 million earnings mark and earned her 10th world championship, a record. Presently, her arena earnings are nearly $2 million, not counting bonuses and other prizes which do not appear in official tallies.

James credits much of her success to the horse Gills Bay Boy, an American Quarter Horse nicknamed "Scamper." The gelding, which was purchased from an employee at the James' family's feedlot in Clayton, N.M. for $1,100, was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1996. He is the only barrel racing horse so honored.

James qualified for the National Finals on five different horses during her nearly 20 years as an elite rodeo competitor..