Ranch Sorting
Encyclopedia
Western riding
Western riding is a style of horseback riding which evolved from the ranching and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West...
equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
sport that evolved from the common ranch work of separating cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
into pens for branding
Livestock branding
Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock so as to identify the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding...
, doctoring, or transport. Ranch Sorting is an event that pits a team of two riders on horseback
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
against the clock. Teamwork
Teamwork
Teamwork is action performed by a team towards a common goal. A team consists of more than one person, each of whom typically has different responsibilities....
is the key with both riders working in harmony to cut out the correct cattle and drive them to the pen while keeping the wrong numbered cattle back. There are several variations of ranch sorting with one, two or three riders on the team, but all require sorting the cattle from one pen to the other in the correct order.
Pens
Ranch Sorting is performed in two pens that are fifty to sixty feet long with a twelve to sixteen foot opening between the pens. The corners of the pens are cut at 45 degrees. Both pens are the same size and sorting can take place from either pen to the other.Rules
At the beginning, there are eleven calvesCalf
Calves are the young of domestic cattle. Calves are reared to become adult cattle, or are slaughtered for their meat, called veal.-Terminology:...
at the end of one of the pens with numbers on their sides for identification. The judge raises the flag and when the riders cross the gap between the two pens the clock starts and the competition begins. The team of two riders have to move the cattle one at a time from one pen to the other in numerical order, starting with a random number called by the judge. The fastest time wins. If a calf gets from one pen to the other out of order, then the team is disqualified.
Levels
Ranch Sorting contestants are rated from a #1 (Beginner) to #9 (professional) based on their ability level. Classifications of #1 are Beginners, #2 are Rookies, #3 and #4 are for participants of Novice ability, classifications of #5 and #6 for amateur participants and classifications of #7, #8 and #9 are for Open or Professional participants.Sport Regulation
The sport of Ranch Sorting, and its sister discipline, Team PenningTeam penning
Team penning is a western equestrian sport that evolved from the common ranch work of separating cattle into pens for branding, doctoring, or transport....
, is regulated by the United States Team Penning Association (USTPA), headquartered in Ft. Worth, Texas. The USPA was founded in 1993 in Fort Worth with the purpose of attracting more participants and educating them to the sports of Team Penning and Ranch Sorting.
Related Equestrian Sports
There are several other equestrian sports related to Ranch Sorting. Team PenningTeam penning
Team penning is a western equestrian sport that evolved from the common ranch work of separating cattle into pens for branding, doctoring, or transport....
is similar competition except that a team of three riders on horseback have from 60 to 75 seconds to separate three cattle from a herd and put them into a single pen. Cutting (sport)
Cutting (sport)
Cutting is an equestrian event in the western riding style where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a single animal away from a cattle herd and keep it away for a short period of time.-Description:...
is sport where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a calf away from a cattle herd and keep it from returning to the herd for a set period of time. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Campdrafting
Campdrafting
Campdrafting is a unique and very popular Australian sport involving a horse and rider working cattle. The riding style is like that of Western riding and the event is somewhat related to the American events such as cutting, working cow horse, team penning, and ranch sorting.In the competition, a...
is an event where a rider on horseback must "cut out" one animal from the "mob" (herd) of cattle, and "camp", block and turn it at least two or three times to prove to the judge that they have the beast under control.