Section 5: Rules of Play
All riding events (R9.1)
- Eight seconds (R9.1.2): time starts when the animal's inside front shoulder passes the plane of the chute gate. Contestants must complete the eight-second qualification limit to be eligible for a marking.
- Gate (R9.1.7): a contestant who holds the chute gate after indicating they are ready is fined $50 for the first offense, with the fine progressively doubling.
Bareback and saddle bronc (R9.2)
- Spur-out rule (R9.2.1): to qualify for a marking, the rider must have the rowels of the spurs touching the horse above the break of the shoulders when the horse's front feet hit the ground on its initial move out of the chute.
- If a horse stalls, a judge tells the rider to take their feet from the horse's neck and the spur-out rule is waived. A rider who does not follow that instruction is disqualified (R9.2.2). The spur-out rule is also waived if the rider is fouled at the gate (R9.2.3).
Bareback (R9.4)
The rider may use only one hand on the rigging. Touching the animal, equipment or person with the free hand disqualifies the rider (R9.4.7).
Saddle bronc (R9.5)
Horses are saddled in the chute and the rider may cinch their own saddle. Either the stock contractor or the contestant may ask the judges to rule on whether the horse is properly saddled and flanked (R9.5.4). Only rosin may be used on chaps and saddle (R9.5.6).
Bull riding (R9.6)
One hand is used on a loose rope. A rider who touches the bull, the equipment or the ground with the free hand is disqualified (R9.6.6). A rider who makes a qualified ride with any part of the rope in the riding hand is marked (R9.6.2).
Rerides (R9.3)
Rerides are at the discretion of a judge. Reasons include an animal that stops or fouls the rider, failure of the stock contractor's equipment, inferior animal performance, or an improperly flanked animal (R9.3.3.1). If a reride is given, the judge informs the contestant of their marking and the option of a reride, and the contestant may refuse the reride and take the marking (R9.3.2). Contestants may not influence the judges by asking for a reride (R9.3.1).
Timed events: general (R10.3)
- Barrier (R10.3.2, R10.3.3): contestants start from behind the barrier. A 10-second penalty is added for breaking or beating the barrier.
- Escaped animal (R10.3.10): if an animal escapes the arena, the field judge drops the flag and all watches stop. The contestant receives the original animal with a lap-and-tap start.
Tie-down roping (R10.6)
- The contestant ropes the calf, dismounts, throws it by hand and crosses and ties any three legs, with at least one wrap around all three legs and a half-hitch (R10.6.1).
- The three legs must stay crossed and tied for six seconds, timed from when the roper's horse takes its first step forward after the roper has remounted.
- Two loops are permitted, catch-as-catch-can (R10.6.2). There is a 25-second elapsed time limit (R10.6.3).
Steer wrestling (R10.7)
- After catching the steer, the wrestler must change direction or bring the steer to a stop and twist it down. The steer is down only when lying flat on its side or back with all four feet and head facing the same direction (R10.7.1).
- There is a 60-second elapsed time limit (R10.7.9).
Team roping (R10.8)
- Each team is allowed three throws if there are more than two go-rounds, and only two loops per team at one go-round and two go-round rodeos (R10.8.1).
- The flag drops when the steer is roped by head and heels, both horses are facing the steer in line with ropes dallied and tight, and the horses' front feet are on the ground (R10.8.2).
- Legal head catches are around both horns, half a head, or around the neck (R10.8.6). The heel rope cannot touch the steer's legs until the header has control of the steer's head and the steer's hips have changed direction with forward motion (R10.8.3).
- There is a 30-second elapsed time limit (R10.8.10).
Steer roping (R10.9)
- The steer must be tripped by the horse. The contestant must cross and tie three legs, with the steer remaining tied for six seconds and at least one wrap around all three legs and a half-hitch (R10.9.1).
- Only a slick-around-both-horns catch is legal (R10.9.2). For a legal trip, the rope must go over and below the hip of the steer on the side opposite the direction the horse is turning (R10.9.3.1).
- There is a 30-second elapsed time limit (R10.9.6).