CATTLE CLASSES
Working Cow Mule
A. Both the cattle working part of this event and the reining part are mandatory. Emphasis on scoring the cow work portion shall be based on the mule maintaining control of the cow at all times, exhibiting superior cow sense and natural cow working ability without excessive reining or spurring.
B. Prescribed Rein Work: (pattern)
1. The approved pattern will be used and each contestant will cause his mule to travel at the gait indicated for each part of the pattern. When judging reined work, the judge should refer to the reining portion of the handbook for guidelines.
2. In approved working cow mule classes, any of the three approved NASMA working cow mule patterns may be used. One of the three is to be selected by the judge of the class, posted on the premium list or on the day of the class and used by all contestants in the class.
C. Prescribed Cow Work
1. At start of cow work, each contestant, upon receiving a cow in the arena, shall hold the cow on the prescribed end of the arena for sufficient time to demonstrate the ability of the mule to contain the cow on that end. After a reasonable amount of time, the contestant shall take cow down the fence, making at least one turn each way on the fence. Then the contestant shall take that animal to an open part of the arena and take the animal in a circle at least once in each direction.
G. The Characteristics of a good working cow mule are:
1. Good manners
2. Mule should be shifty, smooth and have its feet under it at all times; when stopping, hind feet should be well under it;
3. Head should be maintained in its natural position;
4. Mule should be able to work at reasonable speed and still be under control of the rider.
5. A soft mouth and should respond to a light rein, especially when turning.
H. A show may have up to two cow working classes.
1. Senior cow working mule shown with a legal bit, with one hand on the reins.
2. Junior cow working mule shown in a snaffle, hackamore or legal shanked bit.
3. When a romal is used, it shall be carried as described earlier in this rule book.
Team Penning
B. Class routine: Within a 90-second time limit, a team of three riders must cut out from the herd and pen three head of cattle with the assigned (same) identity number of neckband or same number on side. The fastest time wins.
C. Flagmen, Timekeepers: There will be two flagmen, one at the entrance to the pen and one at the start/foul line. The judge must be located at the start/foul line, and may or may not actually flag the contest at his/her discretion. The starting and foul line must be designated by markers located on the arena fence, and easily viewed by the line judge and the exhibitors.
D. Cattle: The optimum number of cattle per herd is thirty (30) – calves may not be used. However, a maximum of 45 head are allowed and a minimum of 21 head per herd is required even if there is less than seven (7) teams. All cattle within a herd must be numbered in groups of three with identical numbers or neckbands. each new team begins a run.
E. Cattle Numbers: Numbers must be a minimum of 6 inches tall and neckbands must be a minimum of 6 inches wide. Numbers must be applied to both sides of the animal, high up on its side, with the top near the midline of the animals back between the shoulder and the hip. The numbers and working order will be drawn for by the judge and show management before the start of the contest.
F. Start of Run: All cattle will be bunched on the cattle side of the starting line before the time begins. The line flagman will raise the flag to signal when arena is ready. Contestants will be given their cattle penning number when the line flagman drops his flag as the nose of the first mule crosses the starting line. Riders are committed once they enter the arena. Any delay will be disqualification.
J. Disqualification: Contact with cattle by hands, hats, ropes, bats, romal or any other equipment is a disqualification. No hazing with whips, hats or ropes allowed. Romals or reins may be swung or popped on chaps.
General Roping Rules
A. Judged or timed: At the discretion Show Management roping classes may be judged or timed.
B. Judging: If roping classes are judged events, only the performance of the mule is judged. Time is not to be a factor.
C. Scoring: For judged roping events, scoring will be based on a 0- 100 basis with 70 denoting an average performance.
D. Barrier: Breaking the barrier is a fault and not a disqualification in judged events.
F. Box, barrier: Mules in calf roping and the heading mule only (whether being judged or not) in dally team roping must start from behind a barrier (an electronic barrier is acceptable.) All mules in roping events must start from the roping box.
G. Roping prior to flag: In all roping events the contestant shall not attempt to rope the animal until the barrier flag has been dropped.
I. Equipment: In roping events Western style equipment must be used. Use of a tiedown, mechanical hackamore or other type of bridle is the optional choice of the contestant; however, the judge may prohibit the use of bits or equipment he/she may consider severe.
Calf Roping
A. Roper will start from behind a required barrier.
B. Barrier will be a minimum of 5 feet and a maximum of 15’ feet.
C. Any catch that holds is legal, but rope must remain on calf until tie is complete and roper has remounted. Calf must stay tied until roper remounts and rides forward to put slack in the rope.
D. A mule can compete only once in the calf roping class.
E. Loops- A maximum of two minutes or two loops, whichever comes first, will be allowed. If both loops are missed, contestant must retire from arena. If more than one loop is thrown, roper must carry second tied to saddle which must be used for second loop.
F. A chute judge is required and the flagman must be mounted for the entire class.
Team Roping (Judged)
A. Each contestant will select the other member of his/her team.
B. Ropers will start from behind required barrier.
C. The roper may throw only two loops and this must be done within a two-minute time limit. If more than one loop is thrown, the roper must recoil rope and build additional loop or loops. If the roper fails to catch, he/she will retire from the arena with no score.
D. The header must head the steer and heeler must heel the steer. Mules cannot switch positions.
E. Legal catches in heading are both horns, half head and around the neck. Any figure-eight catch or front leg in the catch is illegal.
F. Heeling- The heeling mule will be judged in box with ease it sets and stops the steer and holds rope in the proper position for header facing the steer. The rider may throw only two loops. If roper misses both, header and heeler must retire from the arena.
G. Legal catches in heeling are defined as a catch which holds from behind steer’s shoulders and back, around flank, or on one or both heels, but not by tail only.
H. The rider must daily on the mule being judged. The mule not being judged may tie, daily or pull tight. .
J. Riders are to stay mounted. When both ropes are dallied and both mules are facing stretched, run is complete. The rope must be wrapped around the saddle horn at least on complete turn before it is considered a daily.
Steer Stopping (Judged)
A roping event where the steer is roped, then both mule and steer must stop and stand still, facing each other, for a determined amount of time. At no time is the steer to be jerked off its feet or dragged.
A. Mule is to be judged on manners behind the barrier and all other times. The mule shall be judged on the rate of speed to steer, ability of mule to rate, check, stop straight and to stop and turn the steer to face mule.
B. There is a time limit of two minutes or two loops, whichever comes first.
Cutting
A. The North American Saddle Mule Association strongly recommends that NASMA-approved cutting classes be held whenever the interest and entries justify.
B. The most current National Cutting Horse Association rules shall be used as pertain to holding a class and judging it.
C. All riders in the arena shall comply with NASMA rules on dress, equipment and conduct and be limited to bona fide contestants or their helpers.
(NCHA has pages of rules with examples. This is only a compilation of some of the rules. Most of those not listed do not pertain to a model set up.)
Things the judge looks for: Herd Work—Driving a cow, Controlling the cow—Working in center of arena, Degree of Difficulty , Eye Appeal , Amount of Courage. Loose Reins.
RULE 1: Each horse is required to enter the herd sufficiently deep enough to show his ability to make a cut. One such deep cut will satisfy this rule.
RULE 2: When an animal is cut from the herd, it is more desirable that it be taken toward the center of the arena, and credit will be rewarded for same. Additional credit will be given the horse which drives his stock sufficient distance from the herd to assure that the herd will not be disturbed by his work, thereby showing his ability to drive a cow.
RULE 3: Riding with a loose rein throughout a performance is a requirement and will be recognized.
RULE 4: Credit will be recognized for setting up a cow and controlling it in a working position as near the center of the arena as possible.
RULE 5: If the cutting horse or his rider creates disturbance at any time throughout his working period (2-1/2 minutes), he will be penalized,
RULE 6: A horse will be penalized each time the back fence actually stops or turns the animal being worked within one step (three [3] feet) of the fence.
RULE 7: If a horse turns the wrong way with tail toward animal being worked, an automatic score of 60 points will be given.
RULE 8: While working, a horse will be penalized each time the reins are used to control or direct (to rein) the horse, regardless of whether the reins are held high or low
RULE 9: If a horse lets an animal that he is working get back in the herd, he will be penalized.
RULE 10: If a rider changes cattle after visibly committing to a specific cow, a penalty will be assessed.
RULE 11: When a horse loses his working advantage, misses a cow, or is working out of position; he will be penalized
RULE 12: Unnecessary roughness, such as a horse actually pawing, biting or kicking cattle, will be penalized
Steer Daubing
A. Exhibitor will be furnished a mop with shortened strings that has been dipped in white wash.
B. Exhibitor will start from behind a barrier. The object is to daub anywhere from point of shoulder to point of the hip within the rib cage area and not on the spine of the cattle.
C. Exhibitor must raise the stick in the air to signal completion of the run.
Link to YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9G4i4PA8OY&feature=related
Working Cow Mule
A. Both the cattle working part of this event and the reining part are mandatory. Emphasis on scoring the cow work portion shall be based on the mule maintaining control of the cow at all times, exhibiting superior cow sense and natural cow working ability without excessive reining or spurring.
B. Prescribed Rein Work: (pattern)
1. The approved pattern will be used and each contestant will cause his mule to travel at the gait indicated for each part of the pattern. When judging reined work, the judge should refer to the reining portion of the handbook for guidelines.
2. In approved working cow mule classes, any of the three approved NASMA working cow mule patterns may be used. One of the three is to be selected by the judge of the class, posted on the premium list or on the day of the class and used by all contestants in the class.
C. Prescribed Cow Work
1. At start of cow work, each contestant, upon receiving a cow in the arena, shall hold the cow on the prescribed end of the arena for sufficient time to demonstrate the ability of the mule to contain the cow on that end. After a reasonable amount of time, the contestant shall take cow down the fence, making at least one turn each way on the fence. Then the contestant shall take that animal to an open part of the arena and take the animal in a circle at least once in each direction.
G. The Characteristics of a good working cow mule are:
1. Good manners
2. Mule should be shifty, smooth and have its feet under it at all times; when stopping, hind feet should be well under it;
3. Head should be maintained in its natural position;
4. Mule should be able to work at reasonable speed and still be under control of the rider.
5. A soft mouth and should respond to a light rein, especially when turning.
H. A show may have up to two cow working classes.
1. Senior cow working mule shown with a legal bit, with one hand on the reins.
2. Junior cow working mule shown in a snaffle, hackamore or legal shanked bit.
3. When a romal is used, it shall be carried as described earlier in this rule book.
Team Penning
B. Class routine: Within a 90-second time limit, a team of three riders must cut out from the herd and pen three head of cattle with the assigned (same) identity number of neckband or same number on side. The fastest time wins.
C. Flagmen, Timekeepers: There will be two flagmen, one at the entrance to the pen and one at the start/foul line. The judge must be located at the start/foul line, and may or may not actually flag the contest at his/her discretion. The starting and foul line must be designated by markers located on the arena fence, and easily viewed by the line judge and the exhibitors.
D. Cattle: The optimum number of cattle per herd is thirty (30) – calves may not be used. However, a maximum of 45 head are allowed and a minimum of 21 head per herd is required even if there is less than seven (7) teams. All cattle within a herd must be numbered in groups of three with identical numbers or neckbands. each new team begins a run.
E. Cattle Numbers: Numbers must be a minimum of 6 inches tall and neckbands must be a minimum of 6 inches wide. Numbers must be applied to both sides of the animal, high up on its side, with the top near the midline of the animals back between the shoulder and the hip. The numbers and working order will be drawn for by the judge and show management before the start of the contest.
F. Start of Run: All cattle will be bunched on the cattle side of the starting line before the time begins. The line flagman will raise the flag to signal when arena is ready. Contestants will be given their cattle penning number when the line flagman drops his flag as the nose of the first mule crosses the starting line. Riders are committed once they enter the arena. Any delay will be disqualification.
J. Disqualification: Contact with cattle by hands, hats, ropes, bats, romal or any other equipment is a disqualification. No hazing with whips, hats or ropes allowed. Romals or reins may be swung or popped on chaps.
General Roping Rules
A. Judged or timed: At the discretion Show Management roping classes may be judged or timed.
B. Judging: If roping classes are judged events, only the performance of the mule is judged. Time is not to be a factor.
C. Scoring: For judged roping events, scoring will be based on a 0- 100 basis with 70 denoting an average performance.
D. Barrier: Breaking the barrier is a fault and not a disqualification in judged events.
F. Box, barrier: Mules in calf roping and the heading mule only (whether being judged or not) in dally team roping must start from behind a barrier (an electronic barrier is acceptable.) All mules in roping events must start from the roping box.
G. Roping prior to flag: In all roping events the contestant shall not attempt to rope the animal until the barrier flag has been dropped.
I. Equipment: In roping events Western style equipment must be used. Use of a tiedown, mechanical hackamore or other type of bridle is the optional choice of the contestant; however, the judge may prohibit the use of bits or equipment he/she may consider severe.
Calf Roping
A. Roper will start from behind a required barrier.
B. Barrier will be a minimum of 5 feet and a maximum of 15’ feet.
C. Any catch that holds is legal, but rope must remain on calf until tie is complete and roper has remounted. Calf must stay tied until roper remounts and rides forward to put slack in the rope.
D. A mule can compete only once in the calf roping class.
E. Loops- A maximum of two minutes or two loops, whichever comes first, will be allowed. If both loops are missed, contestant must retire from arena. If more than one loop is thrown, roper must carry second tied to saddle which must be used for second loop.
F. A chute judge is required and the flagman must be mounted for the entire class.
Team Roping (Judged)
A. Each contestant will select the other member of his/her team.
B. Ropers will start from behind required barrier.
C. The roper may throw only two loops and this must be done within a two-minute time limit. If more than one loop is thrown, the roper must recoil rope and build additional loop or loops. If the roper fails to catch, he/she will retire from the arena with no score.
D. The header must head the steer and heeler must heel the steer. Mules cannot switch positions.
E. Legal catches in heading are both horns, half head and around the neck. Any figure-eight catch or front leg in the catch is illegal.
F. Heeling- The heeling mule will be judged in box with ease it sets and stops the steer and holds rope in the proper position for header facing the steer. The rider may throw only two loops. If roper misses both, header and heeler must retire from the arena.
G. Legal catches in heeling are defined as a catch which holds from behind steer’s shoulders and back, around flank, or on one or both heels, but not by tail only.
H. The rider must daily on the mule being judged. The mule not being judged may tie, daily or pull tight. .
J. Riders are to stay mounted. When both ropes are dallied and both mules are facing stretched, run is complete. The rope must be wrapped around the saddle horn at least on complete turn before it is considered a daily.
Steer Stopping (Judged)
A roping event where the steer is roped, then both mule and steer must stop and stand still, facing each other, for a determined amount of time. At no time is the steer to be jerked off its feet or dragged.
A. Mule is to be judged on manners behind the barrier and all other times. The mule shall be judged on the rate of speed to steer, ability of mule to rate, check, stop straight and to stop and turn the steer to face mule.
B. There is a time limit of two minutes or two loops, whichever comes first.
Cutting
A. The North American Saddle Mule Association strongly recommends that NASMA-approved cutting classes be held whenever the interest and entries justify.
B. The most current National Cutting Horse Association rules shall be used as pertain to holding a class and judging it.
C. All riders in the arena shall comply with NASMA rules on dress, equipment and conduct and be limited to bona fide contestants or their helpers.
(NCHA has pages of rules with examples. This is only a compilation of some of the rules. Most of those not listed do not pertain to a model set up.)
Things the judge looks for: Herd Work—Driving a cow, Controlling the cow—Working in center of arena, Degree of Difficulty , Eye Appeal , Amount of Courage. Loose Reins.
RULE 1: Each horse is required to enter the herd sufficiently deep enough to show his ability to make a cut. One such deep cut will satisfy this rule.
RULE 2: When an animal is cut from the herd, it is more desirable that it be taken toward the center of the arena, and credit will be rewarded for same. Additional credit will be given the horse which drives his stock sufficient distance from the herd to assure that the herd will not be disturbed by his work, thereby showing his ability to drive a cow.
RULE 3: Riding with a loose rein throughout a performance is a requirement and will be recognized.
RULE 4: Credit will be recognized for setting up a cow and controlling it in a working position as near the center of the arena as possible.
RULE 5: If the cutting horse or his rider creates disturbance at any time throughout his working period (2-1/2 minutes), he will be penalized,
RULE 6: A horse will be penalized each time the back fence actually stops or turns the animal being worked within one step (three [3] feet) of the fence.
RULE 7: If a horse turns the wrong way with tail toward animal being worked, an automatic score of 60 points will be given.
RULE 8: While working, a horse will be penalized each time the reins are used to control or direct (to rein) the horse, regardless of whether the reins are held high or low
RULE 9: If a horse lets an animal that he is working get back in the herd, he will be penalized.
RULE 10: If a rider changes cattle after visibly committing to a specific cow, a penalty will be assessed.
RULE 11: When a horse loses his working advantage, misses a cow, or is working out of position; he will be penalized
RULE 12: Unnecessary roughness, such as a horse actually pawing, biting or kicking cattle, will be penalized
Steer Daubing
A. Exhibitor will be furnished a mop with shortened strings that has been dipped in white wash.
B. Exhibitor will start from behind a barrier. The object is to daub anywhere from point of shoulder to point of the hip within the rib cage area and not on the spine of the cattle.
C. Exhibitor must raise the stick in the air to signal completion of the run.
Link to YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9G4i4PA8OY&feature=related