The Appaloosa horse has long had a place on working cattle ranches. Many activities which were simply a pary of the daily ranch routine are now among the most interesting and challenging equine events. Cutting is a contest that demonstrates a horse's speed, agility and cow sense when working a herd of cattle. During a 2 1/2-minute work, the horse is judged on its quiteness in the herd, ability to single out cattle and experience in blocking the cow's efforts to return to the bunch. Once the horse and rider separate and commit to a cow, the rider must turn the reins loose and allow the horse to work independently until the rider chooses to quit the cow.Working Cow Horse is a two-part competition that includes a dry work(without cattle)- in which the contestants work a standard reining pattern- and a fence work, in which a single cow is released into the arena and then controlled by horse and rider. To demonstrate this control, first the horse must contain the cow at one end of the arena for a period of time; then the contestant must take the cow down the fence, turning it in each direction at least once. Finally, the cow is taken off the fence to the open arena and then circled at least once in each direction. Winners in timed calf roping are determined soley by the fastest times. Once the calf is released and the barrier is sprung, the roper must make a catch(two loops allowed) and throw and tie the calf. When the contestant's hands go up, the clock stops. In Judged Calf Roping, the horse's performance is scored by the judge on a 60 to 80 point scale. Manners behind the barrier, scoring, speed to calf, rating a calf, stop, working of the rope and manners while the rope is returning to mount all affect the horse's score. Heading and Heeling is another class in which the winner is determined by time only.Two ropers, one to catch the steer's head or horns and the other to catch the heels, work together as a team. The clock is stopped when the steer is caught, both ropers are facing the steer and both horses' front feet are on the ground. Steer Daubing is a timed event developed from the concept of the Appaloosa's use as a hunting mount by the Nez Perce Indians. The rider is given a six-foot lance that's been padded on one end and soaked in washable paint or whitewash. A steer painted on each side with a 16-20 inch circle is released from a chute, and the hunter goes in pursuit. The time starts when the barrier is sprung and ends when the rider raises the lance, signaling that the animal has been doubed within the circle. A timed event, Breakaway Roping is performed uner the same general rules as calf roping except the roper neither dismounts nor ties the calf. A rider's time is called from the drop of a barrier to the break of the twine attached to the saddle horn. In Team Penning, a team of three riders must cut from the herd and pen three identically-numbered head of cattle within the two-minute time limit. As in any timeed event, the fastest time wins. A team may call for time with only one or two assigned cattle penned;however, teams penning three head of cattle will be placed higher than teams penning two, and those penning two place higher than those penning on, regardless of time. Showmanship At Halter: In a showmanship class, the judge evaluates the exhibitor's ablilty to present his or her horse during halter competition.The showman is expected to set the horse up squarely and properly and to be in a position that gives the judge an unobstructed view of the horse at all times. |