Breakaway roping is one form of rodeo sport. The competition features a mounted rider and a calf. The calves are initially moved to a chamber which leads to a chute equipped with spring-loaded doors.
The horse and the rider stay in another box which is adjacent to the chute which is commonly referred as the barrier. A rope is attached to the calf’s neck. It is released once when the barrier is opened allowing the calf to head toward the arena. The aim of the roper (rider) is to throw the lasso around the calf’s neck.
Tips to perform better in breakaway roping competitions
When the rope is around the neck of the calf, the rider signals the horse to stop suddenly. The end of the rope is attached to the saddle horn by using a string. While the calf moves further, the end of the rope breaks which marks the victory as well as the end of the game. The rope usually contains a bright colored flag at its end to make the timer see it more vividly. Winner of the game is chosen by the judges based on duration of the run. A rider with least time taken to rope the calf is considered as the winner.
There are several factors which are necessary for good rope breaking performance. The horse plays a vital role in a good rope breaking competition. Any cowboy can rope a calf, but no scores will be given to him if he doesn’t have an excellent partner.
Therefore, one needs the help of a good roping horse to win the game. Training up the horse when it’s young is very important to develop its skills. You should train the horse in such a way that it understands your actions and signals. The sole focus of training should be based on this. You can train the horse in the actual setting of rodeo competition. Once the horse is trained for the game, you will have a suitable companion who helps you to become successful in the sport. A horse which is gradually trained well will best serve your needs.
Secondly, you need to have good roping skills. Therefore you must learn a set of horsemanship skills. A career in this field can help you. Light hands and solid seats are a must to rope the calves.
The roper must be able to control the horse with one hand while the other hand should be used to rope the neck of the horse. Accuracy is also a major thing that a roper requires while roping a calf. Start your practice by roping on dummy calf’s head.
After you obtain the skills, increase your distance. This will improve your accuracy gradually. Mount the horse and start practicing on the moving calves. Remember, the more you practice, the more successful you will become in rodeo competition.
The main aim of the rider is to score points. Warming up the horse is recommended well before any runs in a real competition. Make your horse relaxed and comfortable. This will make it perform better in the ring.