Today's guide is a primer for the roping events: Calf Roping, Steer Roping and Team Roping (Heading and Heeling).
CALF ROPING
More than any event in professional rodeo, calf roping has roots to the old West when a sick or injured calf had to be caught and immobilized quickly and safely for treatment.
Rodeo event calf roping rules require a horseback contestant to chase a calf that has been given a head start. The horse and rider give chase. As the cowboy throws his loop, the horse comes to a stop. After catching the calf, the cowboy dismounts, runs to the calf, throws it to the ground by hand (called flanking) and ties any three legs together using a pigging string he carries in his teeth. While the contestant is accomplishing this the horse must keep slack out of the rope, but not pull it tight enough to drag the calf. Once the roper completes his tie, he throws his hands in the air as a signal to the flag judge. He then remounts his horse and rides toward the calf, making the rope slack. The calf must remain tied for six seconds or the cowboy's penalty is no time.
Jeff Chapman of Athens, Texas, made the fastest calf roping run in NFR history with his 6.8 second run in 1997. Idaho's Dean Oliver won more world calf roping titles than any other roper in history. He took the prize eight times between 1955 and 1969, winning three all-around crowns. Toots Mansfield was pro rodeo's first truly dominant calf roper. He won seven calf roping titles from 1939-1950 and was the first rodeo athlete to be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Cody Ohl in 1998 won the most calf roping dollars ($222,794). The 1999 world champion calf-roper was Fred Whitfield.
STEER ROPING
The art of steer roping was created on the ranges as a means of treating full-grown cattle needing medical care. Any cowboy could lasso the animal, but with 500 pounds of stubborn beeve on the end of the rope, cowboy creativity came into play.
