Ranch Horse competition allows ranchers to show horses, horsemanship

For 10 years, the Wyoming State Fair has been hosting a Ranch Horse competition during fair week, in Douglas, Wyo. For the last six years, Tim Ettleman has been organizing the event which will take place on Aug. 19, starting at 8 a.m. in the Silver Arena. According to Ettleman, a Ranch Horse competition is different from a rodeo and different from a horse show, even though it draws on elements from both. "We try to simulate the daily horseback activities you will find on a ranch," he explained. In a Ranch Horse competition, horse and rider are given five minutes to complete a series of events. The arena is divided in half. As the timer begins, a horse and rider enter one side of the arena and go through a short trail course of five to six obstacles. Ettleman said these obstacles may consist of crossing a bridge, stepping over an obstacle, dragging an object, loading the saddled horse into a trailer or checking mail in a mail box. After they finish the trail class, while the clock is still running, they perform a short reining pattern that will consist of lead changes, circles, rollbacks and backing up. "It's a simple reining pattern, nothing major," Ettleman assured. After the reining program is completed they go into other half of the arena. "They have to open and close a gate to get into other side of the arena and they are continued to be timed and judged on that," he said. On the second side of the arena, the pair will have to work a cow. "The first thing they have to do is box the cow at one end of the arena then take it down the fence and turn it once in each direction," he said. In the open and ladies open divisions, the competitors also have to circle the cow and then rope it and stop it...more