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Calf Roping FAQ

About Calf Roping

Calf Roping has evolved directly from the cowboy's work on the range. It is a timed event in which the calf gets a head start on the cowboy and his horse. At the ready sign (a nod of the head) from the cowboy, the calf is released from a narrow shotgun chute which enters directly into the arena. Once the calf crosses the barrier, starting the clock, the cowboy can also cross it. The best riders time their start so that they hit the barrier at the same exact second that the calf does. if a cowboy jumps ahead of the calf, a l0 second penalty is assessed.

The cowboy's partner is a good roping horse which is fast enough to stay behind the calf at the proper interval, as well as off to one side even if the calf turns and ducks. As soon as the rope is on the calf, the horse comes to a sudden stop, the rider dismounts while holding on to the rope and runs to the calf. The horse keeps the rope taunt as the cowboy throws the calf down and ties 3 of his legs with a "pigging string," approximately 6 feet long, which the cowboy holds in his teeth to keep his hands free. After tying the animal, the cowboy raises both hands in the air to signal the judge that he has completed the tie and the clock is stopped. He then remounts and rides forward to slacken the rope. The calf must remain tied for 6 seconds or the cowboy's score reads "no time."

The cowboy with the fastest time wins as there is no judging for form of either the calf or the cowboy. However, the calf leg tie must include one wrap and a halfhitch and must be completed within 35 seconds although under 9 seconds is considered a good time. The action in calf roping is very fast and many spectators are amazed to see a cowboy rope, flip and tie a calf in as little as just under 7 seconds.

DISQUALIFICATIONS & PENALTIES

If competitor fails to lasso calf, he receives a no time If competitor breaks the barrier (fails to give the calf a proper, measured head start) he receives a 10 second time penalty
If competitor's calf breaks free within the six-second time limit after it has been tied, the competitor receives a no-time

Terminology

Added money: The purse put up by a rodeo committee: it's added to the contestant's entry fees to make up the total prize money. All PRCA sanctioned rodeos have added money.

Average: At rodeos with more than one go-round, contestants earn money for each go, those with best total scores or times win additional money.

Barrier: in the timed events the stock is given a pro-determined head start, depending on area conditions, called the score, and marked by the scoreline. A rope is stretched across the front of the box out from which the contestant's horse will come. The barrier rope is released by a measured length of twine which is pulled loose from the calf or steer as it crosses the scoreline.

Catch-as-catch-can: A calf roper is allowed to catch the animal in any way he chooses so long as he turns loose of the rope when throwing the loop, and so long as the rope holds the calf until roper reaches it.

Lagman: Rodeo official who signals end of time elapsed in the time events.

Go-round: That part of the rodeo event in which every contestant has competed on one head of stock.

Honda: The eye in one end of a rope, through which the other end is passed to form the loop.

Hooey: in calf-roping, a cowboy must put the animal down and tie any three feet by taking two wraps - one if in a hurry - around the feet and tying off
the a "Hooey"- a half-hitch.

No time: (NT) Failure to qualify on a timed event cattle, signaled by field flagman waving his flag side-to-side.

Piggin' String: Small soft rope six feet long used by calf ropers to tie the animal's feet.

Point Award System: The method by which champion cowboys are chosen each year. Each cowboy is awarded one point for each dollar earned in competition at PRCA-approved rodeos during the 12-month rodeo season. At the end of the year the cowboy who's won the most money in each event is named PRCA world champion, and the cowboy who's won the most money in two or more events is PRCA world all around champion.

Prize Money: Paid to winners of each event at a rodeo: it is the total of added money - the purse put up by the rodeo committee - and the cowboy's entry fees.

Score: 1) Distance between the chute opening and the scoreline; the head start timed event cattle are given in calf and steer roping and steer
wrestling, determined by size of arena. 2) The marking given rough-stock riders by the judges after a qualified ride.

Re-run: Timed event cattle used in the same rodeo in the same go-round. (Except in rare cases, a rerun is not comparable to a reride. Generally speaking, the animal belongs to the contestant when he calls for him, regardless what happens, except for mechanical failure.)

Archives: * 2005 Calf Roping info * 2004 Calf Roping * 2004 Results/Payouts * Youth Ropers * 2004 Contestant BBQ photos * 2003 Results/Payouts * 2003 Thurs. Contestant BBQ photos * 2003 Roping * 2003 12 & under Roping * 2003 Photo Album * 2002 Calf Roping Photos * 2002 payouts/scores * 2002 Calcutta/Dinner Photos * Video