What Is Team 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.

Today it is a fast-paced and exciting event that gives a team of three riders on horseback from 60 to 75 seconds (depending on the class or the sanctioning of the event) to separate three same-numbered cattle from a herd of 30, and put them into a 16' x 24' pen through a 10' opening, at the opposite end of the arena.

The sport features 30 head of cattle, typically yearling beef cattle (mature cows or bulls are not allowed), with numbers affixed to their back, three each of each number 1 through 0. A run starts once the line judge has dropped his flag as the lead rider's horse crosses the foul line. At that time, the announcer gives out a randomly drawn number, such as "Your number is seven". The riders then know that they must cut out the three head of cattle that are wearing the number "7" and push them to the opposite end of the arena, and put them into the pen, and call for time.

Teamwork is the key with all three riders working in harmony to cut out the correct cattle and drive them to the pen while keeping the wrong numbered cattle back.

Team Penning Rules

a) Within a ninety (90) second time limit, a team of three mustcut from a herd and pen three (3) head of cattle with the assignedidentity number or colored neckband. The fastest time wins. Awarning must be given to the team working the cattle at 30 seconds,prior to a final time being called. In the event a warning is not given,a rerun may be given at the request of the team. If the team requests arerun, the cattle will be settled and a rerun will immediately be givenusing the same numbered or color banded cattle, with a sixty (60)second penalty.

b) All cattle will be bunched on the cattle side of the startingline before time begins. The line flagman will raise the flag to signalwhen arena is ready. Contestants will be given their cattle penningnumber or color of neckband when the line flagman drops his flag as the nose of the first horse crosses the starting line. Riders are committed once they enter the arena. Any delay will be a disqualification.

c) Once committed to the cattle, the team is responsible for their animals. It is the team’s responsibility, before working the cattle, o pull up and call for a judge’s decision if, in their opinion, there is an injured or unusable animal in their numbered or color banded cattle. Once the cattle are worked, no excuses are accepted. If an animal leaves the arena, either over or through the fence, the team can either be disqualified for unnecessary roughness, or can be given a rerun, depending on the judges decision. If a rerun is given, it must be at the end of the class. If no fresh cattle are available for reruns, the cattle to be used will be determined by the show management and judge. If more than one rerun is given in any class, they will be taken in order of occurrence. If cattle are to be re-used and additional fresh cattle are needed, the used cattle may be mixed with the fresh cattle and re-numbered or color banded. Every attempt must be made to insure each team works the same number of used and fresh cattle.

d) To call for time, one rider must stand in the gate and raise a hand for the flag. Flag will drop when the nose of the first horse enters the gate and rider calls for time. All undesignated cattle must be completely on the cattle side of the starting line or there will be no time. If a team calls for their time with only one (1) or two (2) of their cattle in the pen, the remainder of their designated cattle DO NOT have to be on the cattle side of the starting line.

e) A team may call for time with only one or two assigned cattle being penned, however; teams penning three head of cattle place higher than two, or two higher than one, regardless of time.

f) A team calling for time with any wrong numbered or colored cattle in the pen will be judged no time.

g) Contact with cattle by hands, hat, ropes, bats, romal or any

h) A team will be disqualified by the judge for any action he feels to be unnecessary roughness to cattle or horses, or unsportsmanlike conduct.

i) Fall of horse and/or rider shall not eliminate the entry; however, any attempt by a dismounted rider to work the cattle before remounting will result in an automatic disqualification.

j) If five (5) or more cattle are across the starting line at any one time, the team will be judged no time.

k) Disqualification of a team member will result in disqualification of the entire team.

l) In the event of a tie affecting the placing, each team will be allowed to pen one numbered or color banded animal. Fastest time breaks the tie.

m) If for any reason a team does not participate after the order of go has been drawn, their cattle number will be drawn in the order the team would have run. The drawn number or colored band will not be used in that set of teams. This will avoid changing the order of go for the other contestants.

n) Number must be a minimum of six (6) inches tall and colored neckbands must be a minimum of six (6) inches wide. Numbers must be applied to both sides of the animal, high up on its side, with the top near midline of the animals back between the shoulder and hip. The numbers of colors and working order will be drawn for by show management before the start of the contest.

o) If a team is given a number or colored neckband that has already been used within a given herd, a rerun must be given immediately, using the correct number or colored neckband within the same herd. Should the error be discovered after the herd has been removed from the arena, then the rerun will be given at the end of the class using the same herd.

p) The optimum number of cattle per herd is 30, however; a maximum of 45 are allowed and a minimum of 21 per herd is required even if there are less than seven (7) teams. All cattle within a herd must be numbered in groups of three (3).

1. There must be three (3) head of assigned (same number or colored neckbands) cattle per team in the herd as each new team begins a run.

2. There must always be the same number of cattle in each of the herds used in a class.

3. In the event more or less than three assigned (same number or colored neckbands) cattle are discovered within a herd, the team(s) with more or less than the three (3) assigned cattle must have a rerun at the end of the class. Times for all other teams within such a misnumbered herd will remain the same.

4. Cattle cannot be re-used within a class except as specified in rule (3) above for re-runs. There shall 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 he/she may or may not actually flag the contestant at his/her discretion. There shall be at least two time keepers. The first timekeeper shall be the official timer and the second timekeeper shall be the back-up timer, in the event that the first timer misses the time or his/her watch fails. The starting and foul line must be designated by markers located on the arena fence, and easily viewed by the line judge and all the exhibitors.