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Ranch Rules

ThomasDCR Sorting Practice Cattle

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Event Rules

These rules are in effect for all ThomasDCR events...

  • Negative Coggins required for all horses
  • Ride at your own risk
  • No roughing the cattle
  • $20.00 entry fee
  • Sorting for 2 hours on designated days
  • There is no "Sorry Team, No Time", you practice your full 60 seconds, even if the wrong calves go through the gate
  • Each participant receives a number upon onsite registration and payment (no credit cards accepted at this time)
  • Participant numbers are called out in sequence during the designated 2 hours
  • 60 Second Timer, and horn utilized
  • Calves are clearly numbered
  • Fresh calves are used and rotated during practices
  • Entry gate to ranch will open one hour before designated practice time and will close one hour after practice ends
  • Refer to Official Sorting Rules below for reference
  • Loping/warmup arena available
  • Lighted arena will be available for night time practices in the summer

Official Sorting Rules

These rules are in effect for all ThomasDCR events...
(Rules 3 through 6, 9, 11b and 12c are not enforced for practices)

  1. Abuse of cattle or horses will be cause for disqualification for the run without refund of entry fees.
  2. Use of foul language while participating in a sorting event will be cause for ejection from the event without refund of entry fees.
  3. All sanctioned events require western hats, boots, and long sleeved western shirts. In the interest of safety, a helmet may be substituted for a western hat.
    1. Shirts not buttoned down or shirts that do not meet dress code will be subject to a $10.00 fine.
    2. No hat/helmet or boots will be cause for disqualification, with no refund of entry fees.
    3. The dress code will be enforced in the arena after the start of sign-ups.
  4. Limit of 3 go's per person in each division, teams must change all partners.
  5. It is the responsibility of the contestant to know how many times he or she is entered in each division. If any contestant enters more times then rules allow, and sorts, then the contestant and all teams that contestant has ridden with will be disqualified and will forfeit all entry money and winnings. Teams that the contestant has not yet ridden with will be allowed to change the disqualified partner.
  6. If the same team sorts more than once in the same division on the same day, they will be disqualified and forfeit all entry fees and winnings.
  7. Starting number for each team will be drawn when the team is in the arena.
  8. There will be 10 cattle at the end of the arena visibly numbered 0 through 9.
    1. If one cow has a number that is faulty or missing, that cow can be used provided that the faulty cow is identified by the announcer over the PA system. If more then one cow has a number that is faulty or missing, then the faulty cows will be replaced.
  9. Cattle will be settled after each run to the satisfaction of the next team.
    1. The center rider on the approaching team will be designated the "Team Captain." As the "Team Captain" approaches the herd and crosses the designated number line (approx ten feet from the foul line), the "Team Captain" will signify satisfaction of settling of the herd and readiness to start by raising his or her hand. At that time the starting number will be announced. Time starts when the first rider crosses the foul line. The number will be announced 2 more times for a total of 3 times.
  10. Once committed to the cattle by crossing the foul line, the team is responsible for the cattle. It is the responsibility of the team, before working the cattle, to pull up and call for an arena director, if, in their opinion, there is an injured or unusable animal in the herd. Once the cattle are worked, no excuses are accepted.
  11. You are to start with the starting number and continue in numerical order. For example, your number is 6, you must first sort out number 6, then 7, 8, 9, 0, 1, etc.
    1. Cattle are considered "sorted" when a front leg crosses the foul line.
    2. If any cattle cross the foul line out of sequence, the team shall be judged "no time."
    3. If any cattle already sorted come back across the foul line, the team shall be judged "no time."
  12. You will continue to sort until all cattle are sorted or until you are out of time.
    1. There is a 90-second time limit.
    2. Teams will receive a 30 second warning.
    3. You shall stop sorting if judged a "no time."
  13. Teams are judged on the number of cattle sorted, not on the time it took to sort them.
    1. If 10 cattle are sorted, then time will become the determining factor. The clock will be stopped when the last cow crosses the foul line.
    2. It is permissible to stop sorting anytime and hold cattle already sorted until the clock runs out.
  14. Cattle sorted in 3 go's beats cattle sorted in 2 go's, cattle sorted in 2 go's beats cattle sorted in 1 go. For example, if a team sorting is designated as 2 go rounds, the team that successfully sort cattle in both go's beat any team that only successfully sorted cattle in one go, when determining the average (8 head sorted in two go's, for example 6 the first go and 2 the second go, beats a team that sorted 9 in one go).
  15. Hazing of cattle with hats, romal, or ropes will be cause for disqualification with no refund of entry fees. Slapping hand to leg or romal to leg is permitted.
  16. Appeals of decisions of the flagger, if allowed, must be made before leaving the arena.
  17. In the case of a "down cow," any team member can stop the clock by raising their hand.
    1. In the case of a "down cow," the options include but are not limited to:
      1. If the cow is useable, allow the team to continue with the time remaining on the clock.
      2. Remove the faulty cow, replace with another cow, resettle the herd, and continue with the time remaining on the clock.
      3. Remove the faulty cow, resettle the herd, and start with the full time on the clock.
      4. Disqualify the team for unnecessary roughness.
      5. Decisions are based in part on the time during the run that the animal went down and under what conditions.
    2. A "down cow" shall be defined as any animal that goes down behind the line, leaves or partially leaves the arena, or whose legs or body becomes entangled in the arena structure.
  18. "Running down of escaped cattle" will be cause for disqualification.
    1. "Running down of escaped cattle" shall be defined as the chasing of an animal down the arena at high speed.