RMRRSHA Roping Rules

Printable copy of RMRRSHA's Rules (Pdf)

• Rule Changes:
• 15 pt penalty on rodear loss
• No Lope Rule --lope only to hold rodear--loping for any other reason is a DQ
• Settling the rodear---Judge and event rep to settle rodear and determine rodear line

Divisions are categories for competition to try and give all participants an opportunity to be competitive at their current skill level. It is the intention of the RMRRSHA to provide members with incentive and opportunity to improve their skills and horse's training, as such members are encouraged to advance up through the divisions.

Competitors are expected/allowed to stay within their respective division for the entire season, in order to be eligible for year end awards. If a competitor chooses to change divisions they will only earn points toward the year end awards in the division they ended the competition season in.

Gender is not to be considered in determining division classifications, both men and women may compete in all divisions. Competitors may not cross enter in more than one division at any competition. Classification for a division is based on the competitors honest evaluation of their own skills, however if show management determines the competitor has not entered the correct division they reserve the right to reassign the competitor to a more appropriate division.

• Division Definitions:
• Open Team:
• The Open division can be entered by any experienced team. Roper's in this division may be asked to assist Novice and Youth competitors as team mates during competition, which is not considered cross-entering.
• Limited Draw
• Competitors in this division shall be competent in the basic shots and rope handling skills. They will be expected to do their own ground work for their team. Contestants may compete in this division until they have accrued xx points at which time they will advance to the Open Division. Youth may enter this division if they are no longer eligible for the Novice division.
• Novice Draw:
• The Novice Division is open to any age group of individuals new to ranch roping. Participants in the Novice Division are developing their basic throws, rope handling skills and stockmanship. Teams will be comprised of two Novice and one Open roper. The Open roper is present for instruction; hence, they cannot rope during the first 3 minutes of the 5 minute time frame. The Open ropers throws will be limited to 6 pts regardless of the throw. Competitors in this class will not be required to do ground work. It is preferred that each competitor demonstrate both heading and heeling skills but not mandatory. As ropers in the Novice Division become proficient with basic throws, rope handling and stockmanship they will move up to the Limited Division.
• Youth:
• Contestants should be less than 18 years of on January 1 of the year of the competition. Youth must be competent mounted ropers at either breakaway heading or heeling with a hard honda. Any youth that is not safe with a rope or does not have sufficient control of their horse will be dismissed from competition. Points for various throws will be the same as in all other divisions.
  • The Youth Breakaway Heading will consist of one Youth and one Open roper. The Open roper will assist with setting up head shots on cattle selected by a draw process. The time limit for the event will be x minutes. The youth can head as many cattle as possible during the time limit.
  • The Youth Heeling will consist of one Youth and one or two Open roper. The Open ropers will head a specific animal drawn for the contestant within 2 minutes. The Youth will then have 3 minutes to heel the animal. Time will stop when both ropes are tight and ropers are facing the animal.

The format is as follows: Several cattle are loose in the arena. The team is told which animal to rope. Most events are three rounds long and progressive after each round. Each team member must head in one round. Teams earn points based on shot thrown, shot selection based on cattle positioning, rope handling, horsemanship and stockmanship.

• General Rules:
• Efficiency:
• If calf is headed, heeled, and ground work completed in less than one minute the team receives 3 bonus points; if less than 2 minutes the team receives 2 bonus points. Time will stop when both front feet and hind feet are in their respective ropes, the head rope is removed and the third rider is back on their horse with ropes and mecates off the ground.
• Time Limits for two or three person teams in the Limited and Open Divisions:
• Round 1: 5 minutes total time, 2.5 minutes to head
• Round 2: 4 minutes total time, 2 minutes to head
• Round 3: 3 minutes total time, 1.5 minutes to head (No tie-down)
• Round 3: 4 minutes total time, 2 minutes to head (Tie-down)
• Tie-down can consist of tying any combination of one front and one hind leg. Cattle must remain tied for 15 seconds. If cattle get loose the team will be disqualified. However, if cattle rise and move but the tie remains in place the run will be considered qualified.
• Rodear Line:
• An extra two points will be added to the score if the cattle are held in a rodear while heading. No points lost if not accomplished. A line will be determined by the judges to define where the rodear is to be held. The cow to be roped may be roped in or out of the rodear for the two points.
• Throw:
• The loop must be released from a roper's hand before it reaches the animal to given points.
• No Loping.
• Loping more than 3 strides to avoid a wreck is a disqualification in the open, and from disqualification to 10-point deduction in the novice at the discretion of the. judge.
• Cattle Roped Deep:
• If an animal is roped deep, the other two ropers can complete the run without removing the deep rope until the animal is caught clean by the neck and hind feet. The qualified header will receive 6 pts regardless of the shot thrown. The deep rope cannot be used to facilitate a clean head shot. The deep rope must be removed and the rider back on their horse before time is called.
• Roping wrong calf:
• If you rope the wrong animal it must be headed and heeled, laid down and the ropes removed and ground man must be re-mounted before roping the proper cow within the heading time limit.
• Backing cattle into a shot:
• If you back an animal into a heel shot, it will be considered a forehand shot unless the shot completely encircles the hind feet. If an animal backs so far into a loop that the loop gets in front of its front legs, then you must heel it and take both the bad shot and the heel shot off. This counts as two misses. If it backs in deep but not past the front legs, then the loop can be pulled back and down for a forehand heel shot.
• Improper handling:
• 1 to 10 point penalty at judge's discretion. Up to two warnings will be given, after which the team is disqualified (NRRRA).
• Daily on One high hock:
• Dallying on one high hock should be avoided unless absolutely necessary to prevent a wreck. Dallying on one high hock will result in -3pt. Persistent dallying on one high hock by an individual will result in disqualification.
• Lost rope:
• -5pt Penalty. If a rope is lost the other 2 ropes may be used to finish the run. If you hang off your horse to pick up your lost rope on the ground it is a DQ.
• Lost Horse:
• -5pt Penalty. If your horse is leaves while doing ground work a 5 point penalty will be assessed.
• Rim fire:
• A rim fire is defined as the rope touching the horse that is blocking the calf, the rope touching the horse that is between the header and the calf, or the rope wrapping around the header. Any horse stepping over a rope that is attached to an animal is considered a rim fire with the exception of a lost rope. If you rim fire you are DQ.
• Rope on horn:
• If a roper dismounts leaving their rope on the horn, the team will be disqualified.
• Two ropers head:
• If two ropers head the calf at the same time the head shot will count for a maximum of 6 pts for the roper who holds the calf. The second head shot will receive no points.
• Rope Removal:
• Ropes cannot be removed by a ground person unless the animal is headed and heeled.
• 4th Team member:
• A second ground person may be used if a team member has physical limitations. The second ground person must be approved by judge. The 4th team member must be mounted and has to ride from the start line and the 4th person coming in must tag the 3rd. The 3rd must ride back across the start line.
• Rope Swap:
• Rope swap has no penalty. Third person may swap with either header or healer. If you lose one foot on a double catch in the process, one point is lost.
• Roping Front Feet:
• Points for various shots are counted the same on front foot shots as heel shots. Multiple front foot shots are allowed; however, time limits remain the same. Judges have the discretion to disqualify teams for poor stockmanship when front footing. Both front feet must be used caught in the loop before one dallies and lays the animal down. If a leg is lost while laying an animal down, the throw will receive no points and cannot be used to finish laying the animal down.
• Ropes:
• Only 1 rope per roper may be carried into the arena.
• Cowboy Dress Code:
• Includes long sleeve shirt with a collar, cowboy hat, chaps, and boots.
• Ties
• will be broken based on the fastest combined time for all runs.
• Judges decisions:
• Any conduct deemed to be unsportsmanlike by a judge will result in DQ. All judge's decisions are final.

Stock Horse Competitions

Stock horse competitions will consist of 4 elements. Dry work, herd work (cutting), fence work and roping. Each element will be worth equal points.

• Dry Work:
• The contestant will have 2 minutes to demonstrate their horse's ability. At a minimum the contestant should stop, back, spin, work a gate, long trot, lope a figure 8 with appropriate lead changes and side pass.
• Herd Work:
• The contestant will have 2 minutes to demonstrate the ability of their horse to cut, control and drive a calf. Five cattle should reside in a small cutting pen. An animal will be drawn for the contestant. The contestant should approach the herd with out hesitation quietly without causing disruption, cut the selected animal from the herd; demonstrate the ability of the horse to control and drive the animal into a separate pen.
• Fence Work: (2 minute time limit)
• Take the steer down the fence with at least a hard turn in each direction. Extra points will be reward for circling the cattle.
• Roping:
• The contestant will have 2 minutes to track the animal, rope it around the neck (neck, neck and one front leg or figure 8 head and front leg catch), and demonstrate the ability to stop, hold and drag.