Steer Roping

One mounted cowboy pursues a full-grown steer with reinforced horns; lassos it with his rope, catching the animal by the horns; fastens the rope to his saddle; and stops his horse suddenly. With the steer’s horns roped, the roper throws the slack of the rope over its hip, turns his horse to the left, as the rope tightens it lifts the steer’s hip up and pulls the head around as the steer falls on its side. The cowboy then quickly dismounts and ties three of the steer’s feet with a ‘’pigging string’’ using a halfhitch knot, colloquially called, ‘’two wraps, and a hooey.” Raising both hands,the cowboy signals completion of his task.

As in calf roping, the steer must stay tied for six seconds, and the same barrier penalties apply. The event is timed, and the contestant with the fastest time wins. Steer roping events are held only at select arenas, and a separate Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) final takes place each year to determine a steer roping champion. Top professional steer ropers will tie a steer in 10-15 seconds.

PHOTO BY MILLER PHOTO

2020 WORLD’S OLDEST RODEO® BUCKLE WINNER Garrett Hale

2020 World Champion Trevor Brazile

2020 world standings place: 1st (SR) 2020 NFSR standings place: 1st 2020 NFSR earnings: $69,072 2020 earnings: $117,459 (SR) PRCA career earnings: $7,058,200 NFR Qualifications: 31 (TD 1999-2011, 201315, 2017-18; TR 1998, 2003-04, 2006-15) NFSR qualifications: 23 (1997-2015, 2017-20) World titles: 26 (AA 2002-04, 2006-15, 2018; TD 2007, 2009-10; TR 2010; SR 2006-07, 2011, 2013-15, 2019-20 NFSR average titles: 5 (2012, 2014-15, 2020) Education: Vernon (Texas) Regional Junior College, associate degree in arts and sciences