Roping Trainer

Roping is a competitive rodeo sport stemming from the routine ranch job of capturing cows, which involves throwing a rope with a loop around the head, horns, or legs of the target. There are three types of roping: Tie-Down Roping, Breakaway Roping and Team Roping.

Tie-Down Roping consists of just the horse and rider racing against the clock to rope a calf. After a head start, the cow is chased by the team until the cowboy catches the cow with a rope. Roping horses are trained to halt after the cow has been caught to allow the rider to jump off and tie up the cow.

Breakaway Roping involves gently tying the rope to the saddle and throwing it around the calf’s neck. The horse then stops, letting go of the rope and releasing the calf. The event happens so fast that a good run will last between two to three seconds.

Team Roping requires two highly skilled riders and horses to perfectly time roping the calf so that one rider ropes its head while the other ropes its legs. The “header” has to rope the cow’s head or horns while the “heeler” is responsible for roping both legs. If the heeler only catches one leg, the team incurs a five-second penalty. This event requires endless hours of practice to perfect the timing in order to be the fastest team to rope their cow.

While Roping is for all ages, the sport revolves around an older crowd because of the level of skill and training required by both horse and rider.

Roping requires advanced riding skills and endless hours of practicing. Time is of the essence as these rodeo events last only seconds and the timing of the toss must be just right to catch the cow.

Having a good roping horse, with all the proper training to complete the job, is crucial to being an accomplished roper. Trainers should assist in finding the right horse for their riders and provide the facilities to practice, including both mechanical and live cows.