Rope 'em an Throw 'em
Ropin’ and throwin’ events begin with the oldest timed event in rodeo, calf-roping or tie-down roping as it is more commonly known today. The event owes its origin to ranch work where calves were roped and tied for branding or to administer medical treatment. In rodeo, contestants break from their shoot in pursuit of a calf without breaking a barrier rope designed to insure the calf a fair head start. The calf is roped around the neck. Cowboy and horse do the rest of the work. The horse holds the calf, backing slowly to keep the rope taught while the cowboy dismounts, tracks the calf, throws the calf to the ground and ties three feet using a ‘piggin’ string. Time is called when the tying is complete. The cowboy remounts, while the horse holds the calf rope taught. The calf must remain tied six seconds for time to become official.
Calves get growed-up. Next thing you know, team roping takes over. Still rooted in real ranch work, team roping is the only team event in rodeo. As in calf roping, bigger calves get a head start too. Two ropers compete in this timed event, the header ropes the steer by the horns, turning the steer into the heeler’s throw, capturing two hind legs to bring the calf down. Header and heeler face each other holding the calf to complete the time. Heeler’s must rope both hind legs, one leg results in a five second penalty.
Steer roping is similar to calf roping, at least as similar as you can get with steers weighing in a 400 – 600 lbs. In this event, nowhere near as common as the other two, the cowboy ropes the steer by the horns, tosses the rope around the steer’s right hip, turning his horse left to pull the steer to the ground. With the steer down, the cowboy ties three feet as in calf roping. The tie must again hold six seconds.
What’s more fun than roping a steer? How about wrestling one to the ground without using a rope in an event some call bulldogging. Oh, and then there is that part about jumping off a galloping horse onto the horns of a running steer to engage the wrestling match. Corriente steers, a smallish Spanish breed are commonly used for the event. Bulldoggers are assisted by a hazer, riding on the opposite side of the steer to hold the animal on a line the contestant can reach. In rodeo’s tradition of sportsmanship competitors most often haze for each other.
Next Week: WPRA Barrels & Breakaway
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
Calves get growed-up. Next thing you know, team roping takes over. Still rooted in real ranch work, team roping is the only team event in rodeo. As in calf roping, bigger calves get a head start too. Two ropers compete in this timed event, the header ropes the steer by the horns, turning the steer into the heeler’s throw, capturing two hind legs to bring the calf down. Header and heeler face each other holding the calf to complete the time. Heeler’s must rope both hind legs, one leg results in a five second penalty.
Steer roping is similar to calf roping, at least as similar as you can get with steers weighing in a 400 – 600 lbs. In this event, nowhere near as common as the other two, the cowboy ropes the steer by the horns, tosses the rope around the steer’s right hip, turning his horse left to pull the steer to the ground. With the steer down, the cowboy ties three feet as in calf roping. The tie must again hold six seconds.
What’s more fun than roping a steer? How about wrestling one to the ground without using a rope in an event some call bulldogging. Oh, and then there is that part about jumping off a galloping horse onto the horns of a running steer to engage the wrestling match. Corriente steers, a smallish Spanish breed are commonly used for the event. Bulldoggers are assisted by a hazer, riding on the opposite side of the steer to hold the animal on a line the contestant can reach. In rodeo’s tradition of sportsmanship competitors most often haze for each other.
Next Week: WPRA Barrels & Breakaway
Return to Facebook to comment.
Ride easy,
Paul
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