For LaFayette, Georgia’s Zeb Chapman, horses have always been a family affair. Growing up, his dad was deeply involved in the horse and roping world, and Zeb roped alongside his dad and sister. Today, he continues the family tradition with his own roping, horse training, and marriage to breakaway roper Cassie Chapman.
While he has competed in steer wrestling, team roping, and tie-down roping, it was always the calf roping he loved. His pursuit of this passion took him to Texas for a while, and he has held his Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) card for years. Now, with his life centered in Georgia, he competes more in the International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA) and his wife, Cassie Chapman, is the breakaway director for the organization.
Life has changed throughout his journey, and he remembers the earlier years on the family cattle operation, and his dad’s days of looking after a racehorse farm whose claim to fame was Alysheba, who almost won the Triple Crown in 1987, falling short at the Belmont Stakes. That horse farm has been replaced by a Walmart in rural Georgia, but like so much of life, the dreams and passion are still alive and well in other spots in the county, such as at the Chapman’s place. Incoming and outgoing client horses, and top competitors such as World Champion breakaway roper Kyla Matthews are frequent visitors to their arena.
In his early days of competition, Chapman heard his dad, Steve Chapman, talking about teaching horses’ different things but found it hard to take it to heart. He just wanted his horse to back into the box and do its job. Over time, he became interested in what makes a good horse, and maintains it isn’t about papers alone. He enjoys looking at a horse’s eyes, feet, tail, and seeing how their overall health is, and knows that a broke horse goes far beyond just something that won’t buck you off.
There have been a few special horses that led to these realizations, and the one that he credits most of his knowledge with is a bay horse named Charlie Brown. In Chapman’s words, the gelding looked more like a mule than a horse but was smart and talented. Charlie Brown has Doc Dry bloodlines, and after carrying Chapman and others to rodeo success, he has taught children and been the beloved horse of a child with cerebral palsy. He now lives out his days in well-earned retirement in a pasture right down from Chapman’s home.
Another memorable horse was Simon Cow, “Si” as many know him by. This Dual Pep bred gelding went on to become PRCA cowboy Shane Hanchey’s mount and was named the 2017 Tie-Down Roping Horse of the Year.
The horse Zeb sold most recently, Anuther Great Banjo, aka “Buddy” was a four-time IPRA horse of the year. He now has a young horse who is doing well for him and has a bright future ahead.
In thinking about how the East Coast has shaped his horse and rodeo journey, Zeb shares that while there are always more opportunities the closer you are to the hub of the industry surrounding horses (ex. Ft. Worth), if you’re raising nice horses that do their job well people will come from anywhere to get them. This has certainly proven true for Chapman.
Zeb summarizes his journey by using Brent Lewis’ words to describe the blessings of life in the rodeo world, explaining that while you wouldn’t get rich, you’d find yourself rich in friends and memories.
If you’re looking to buy a horse, attend a clinic, take lessons, or just go to the open arena at their family’s place, look up Zeb and Cassie Chapman–and check out the story on Cassie as well.
All photo credit to each respective photographer.
