Hutchason Longhorn Arena

COWBOY CHURCH RANCH RODEO

RULES

1.                  Team Sorting – A herd of numbered cattle will be held behind a marked line in the arena.  No divider fences or gates will be used.  All 4 team members will compete in the arena entering from the opposite end than the cattle and all will be mounted.  As they cross the line, the announcer will call a number.  As the first man crosses the line their time begins.  The cattle must be brought out of the herd in ascending order beginning with the number called and driven across the line into the neutral area from where the riders approached.  If a cow crosses back across the line toward the herd or if a cow crosses the line from the herd that is numerically out of order to the neutral side the time stops and “no timeâ€� is given.  If only a part of the herd has crossed the line during the time allowed the team will be given credit for that number of cattle across the line during the allowed time period.  Time:  90 seconds is allowed to complete the task– a one-minute warning will be announced.

2.                  Pony Express – A barrel will be placed on each end of the arena.  All 4 team members will compete and will be mounted at all times.  Saddlebags will be carried by the first rider and time will begin when the rider crosses a designated start/finish line.  All riders must remain on the outside of the barrels and the riders not racing their portion of the relay must remain in a neutral area.  The first team member with the saddle bags crosses the start line runs around the outside of the barrel at the opposite end of the arena and back around the barrel where he began.  The second team member takes the bags from the first team member and runs the same pattern handing off to the third team member.  He takes the bags and runs the same pattern handing off to the fourth team member who runs the same pattern.  All four members of the team must ride in the relay.  Time stops when the fourth team member crosses the start/finish line.  If the hand off is done in motion, then the hand off must be complete and in only one persons possession within the marked handoff area. If the saddlebags are dropped during the handoff, only the receiver is allowed to pick up the bags and continue.  If the bags are dropped outside the handoff area during the run, the rider may pick them up and continue.  “No timeâ€� is given if the handoff is done outside the handoff boundary or if the bags are used to whip the horse.

3.                  Branding – Cattle are herded at one end of the arena.  A branding iron is in a bucket placed in a marked branding area.  The bucket must remain in that place at all times.  All four team members compete and a marked start line is designated in the arena.  Time begins when the first team member crosses the start line.  One cow is roped, catch as catch can, and dragged to the marked branding area.  Any team member on foot must remain in that area until after the calf has been dragged into the area.  The calf is then caught by team members and laid on the ground.  (Only after the calf has been laid on the ground can the branding iron be removed from the bucket.)  A team member then brands the calf and the branding iron replaced in the bucket and the rope removed from the calf.  The calf is released and ran out of the branding area.  The branding iron must remain in a team member’s hand while in use and cannot be thrown.  (If dropped, it can be picked up to continue.)  Time stops when the iron is placed back in the bucket or the calf is on its feet outside of the branding area whichever is last.  Only one rope allowed on any one or more cows at a time.  If a rope is lost by a rider it must either be retrieved to continue or removed before a second rope is used.  “No timeâ€� given if two ropes are on the same cow or different cows at the same time or if the branding iron is removed from the bucket before the calf is lying on the ground or if calf branded outside the branding area.  Time:  3 minutes is allowed to complete the task – one-minute warning will be announced.

4.                  Sled Race – A rope will be connected to a sled, which is placed at a designated start point.  All four team members will compete with two separate pull times being added together for a total time given to the four person team.  Time starts when the rider crosses a designated start line.  One team member will stand behind a line and must remain behind that line until he has handed the opposite end of the rope to the rider who approaches from the other end of the arena.  Both handoff and mounting the sled must be done behind the line.  That team members then mounts the sled in any fashion he or she chooses and is pulled to a finish line on the other end of the arena.  The rope must be dallied not tied to the horn.  Time stops when the team member on the sled crosses the finish line.  That time is added to the time of the remaining two-team members who complete the same task in the same way.  “No timeâ€� is given if either the handoff or the sled mounting is not done behind the line or if the sled rider is separated from the sled during the run.  If only one out of the two runs has a qualified time, then the other run with “no timeâ€� receives 2 minutes added to the qualified time.

5.                  Trailer Loading – All four team members compete and are mounted each on a separate horses.  A herd of cattle are in the arena.  A truck and trailer are parked in the arena with the doors and tail gate closed.  A designated start line is in the arena and time starts when the first rider crosses that line.  A specified number of cattle and only that number are to be loaded into the trailer.  If too many are loaded those over the specified number must be removed from the trailer.  When the proper number of cattle are loaded, the tail gate is closed and latched.  All four horses are dismounted and tied to the outside of the trailer.  All four riders get in the cab of the truck and close the doors.  When the last truck door is closed time stops.  There are no ropes allowed to catch cattle in this event.  If less than the required number of cattle are loaded at the end of the run time on that amount of cattle will be offered only after all that have successfully completed the task.   “No timeâ€� given when:  a) Too many cattle loaded at the end of the run,  b) If a horse does not remain tied to the trailer for 10 seconds after the last door closes.  Time:  3 minutes allowed to complete the task – one minute warning will be announced.

METHOD OF SCORING:

            Top 5 places in each class receive points as follows:

                        1^st Place =  5 points

                        2^nd Place =  4 points

                        3^rd Place =  3 points

                        4^th Place =  2 points

                        5^th Place =  1 point

            Those points from each class will be added together for an overall score for each team.