The sport (passion, or affliction) of
team roping experienced a terrific boom in popularity years ago with the
creation of an association called United States Team Roping
Championships (USTRC). It established a classification system based on
the roper’s skill. It is comparable to the handicapping system used in
golf. The result is that ropers are able to compete with others of
‘equal ability’ therefore increasing their chances of winning. As a
roper improves, his USTRC number increases.
Classifications
begin at #1 which is defined as True Beginner. These ropers have
trouble controlling the rope and their horse at the same time.
Inexperienced riders with little or no roping experience. And it runs up
to #9 which is defined as National Finals Rodeo quality ropers.
I
joined USTRC and applied for a number. After reading the classification
description, I realized they didn’t go far enough. There are some
handicaps, quirks and flaws that deserve special numbers. I suggested
these additions:
#3/8
– One who can rope the dummy standing on a barrel, behind his back,
between his legs, from the front seat and blindfolded, but couldn’t rope
a live elk in an eight foot stock tank if his life depended on it.
#.0025 – Ropers who have been at it
several years yet seem to have no aptitude for the sport. Still don’t
grasp basic concepts like nodding for the steer.
#.5
– Those cowboys condemned to always ride green, spooky, maladjusted “in
training” horses. Although they might be fairly good ropers, it never
shows between the pitching, squeals and cheers from the crowd.
#2
¾ – Consistently poor ropers but so creative at inventing excuses that
they deserve some credit. “Did you see how close that was? I had ‘em
both, I saw. Then the loop must have snagged on a gum wrapper and it
broke my concentration just as my horse switched leads, and in this
humidity…blah…blah…blah…”
#1/4 – Left-handers who rope right-handed. Easily spotted by the slight hesitations, looks of confusion and facial tics.
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