About Us
The Rocky Mountain Ranch Roping & Stock Horse Association was founded in 2009 as a means of promoting practical roping skills for low-stress cattle care in the Rocky Mountain area.
Our goal is to organize a group of like-minded people who truly care about the humane treatment of stock, and who wish to learn, improve, practice, compete and most importantly HAVE FUN with one another.
Roping can be recreational without being neglectful of either the horses or the cattle. It can be competitive based on doing it well, rather than just doing it fast. Good horsemanship, roping, cattle handling, and good, smooth ground working skills can all be judged - this is the goal for the Ranch Roping and Stock Horse competitions.
Ranch Roping Tradition
The California cowboys, traditionally referred to as vaqueros, used reata ropes and the dally method of roping livestock. In 1927, artist Charlie Russell described the differences between the Texas cowboy and the vaquero. He noted that the vaquero carried a 60 to 65 foot rawhide reata and swung a big loop and that these people "were strong on pretty, using plenty of hoss jewelry, silver mounted spurs, bits and conchas."
The method of the vaquero included extra long rawhide braided ropes and soft shots that did not cause the cattle to scatter when they needed to be roped and doctored. The vaquero's methods were different from the cowboys of Texas who's gear Charlie Russell described as being less fancy, with a rope seldom over 40-ft in length due to working in a lot of bush country and being forced to swing a smaller loop. This style is similar to the team roping seen in the rodeo arena today.
 |
 |
- Rocky Mountain Ranch Roping & Stock Horse Assoc. Directors
- President - Yet to be Determined
- Vice President - Yet to be Determined
- Secretary - Yet to be Determined
- Manager - Yet to be Determined
Foundation Memberships are available to those who may be interested in being on the Rocky Mountain Ranch Roping & Stock Horse Assoc. Board of Directors. Please visit our Membership Section for more information.
