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©2008 Hesperia Recreation & Parks District |
Team Roping - Header Sponsored by: Sonshine Auto Body
Team
roping, the only true team event in professional rodeo, requires close
cooperation and timing between two highly skilled ropers – a header
and a heeler. The
event originated on ranches, when cowboys needed to treat or brand large
steers and the task proved too difficult for one man.
The key to success?
Hard work and endless practice.
Team roping partners must perfect their timing, both as a team
and with their horses. Similar
to calf ropers and steer wrestlers, team ropers start from the boxes on
each side of the chute from which the steer enters the arena.
The steer gets a head start determined by the length of the
arena. One end of a breakaway barrier is attached to the steer and the stretched across the open end of the header’s box. When the steer reaches its advantage point, the barrier is released and the header takes off in pursuit with the heeler trailing slightly further behind. If the header breaks the barrier before the steer completes its head start, the ropers are assessed a ten-second penalty. Some rodeos use heeler barriers, too. Team Roping - Heeler Sponsored by:
The
header ropes first and must make one of three legal catches on the steer
– around both horns, around one horn and the head, or around the neck.
Any other catch by the header is considered illegal and the team
is disqualified. After
the header makes his catch, he turns the steer to the left and exposes
the steer’s hind legs to the heeler.
The heeler then attempts to rope both hind legs.
If he catches only one foot, the team is
assessed a five second penalty.
After the cowboys catch the steer, the clock is stopped when
there is no slack in their ropes and their horses face one another. Local
team ropers include Phil Bishop, Dan Edstrom, Travis Gorham, George Ishman
Jr., Clinny Pancoast,
Randy Rush, Randy Stanley, Billy Vick and Frank York. Another
aspect vital to the event is the type of horses used by the ropers.
The American Quarter Horse is the most popular among all
timed-event competitors, particularly team ropers.
Heading horses generally are taller and heavier because they need
the power to turn the steer after is is
roped. Heeling horses are
quick and agile, enabling them to better follow the steer and react to
its moves. |
