Cochrane & District Ag Society

New Members (beginner or experienced ropers), Spectators
and Volunteers are Always Welcome any time!!!

ROPING CLUB BACKGROUND
The Cochrane Roping Club has long been a part of the social fabric and history with the town of Cochrane. Ranchers and urbanites first started roping some 30 years ago at the old Griffin Park facility where the Spray Lakes Rec Centre stands today. The Cochrane Roping Club and its members were instrumental in the early development of the indoor arena at what is now the Cochrane & District Ag Society. Recently the Cochrane Roping Club purchased and built the outdoor arena that is presently located next to the barn at the Cochrane Ag Society grounds. The arena and labour was donated to the Cochrane & District Ag Society.

The Cochrane and District Ag Society is located at the cross roads of Highway 1A and 22. The entrance to the Ag park is ¼ of a mile west of the intersection on the north side of the road is the current location that the Roping Club calls home.

The Cochrane Roping Club is registered as a not for profit organization under the Societies Act. The objects of the Society as listed in the Constitution and Bylaws are as follows:

To encourage improvements in the skills of roping and all aspects of horsemanship

By holding/sponsoring exhibitions or competitions at which prizes may or may not be awarded. for:

Gymkhanas and horse shows

By holding meeting for lecture and/or clinics to further the knowledge of horsemanship regarding roping.
By supporting and co-operating with other associations and organizations to improve their skills in roping and horsemanship

To foster and create interest in equitation and bring together equestrians and horseman for mutual enjoyment and to further the knowledge of horsemanship.
To affiliate with associations and societies having common objectives in who or in part similar to those of this Society.
To support and cooperate with community groups involved in programs for the betterment of the community so as to maintain good relationship between the town and country people
To instill among members a spirit of loyalty, compatibility, friendship and good sportsmanship.
To seek ways to orderly and efficiently obtain and maintain certain amounts of funds available by way of grants, donations or holding special events, etc. in order to be a viable Society to support various projects and local groups with their various endeavors.

The membership varies from year to year but on average is about 30 people. We have members from all walks of life, gender and ages, urban and rural. The roping club is a active member of the Cochrane & District Ag Society User Group. The Cochrane & District Ag Society is registered under the Ag Societies Act and is the umbrella group for the Agricultural Park.

As an additional point of interest, in true western tradition, the Cochrane Roping Club owns a brand registered as – C R A. As well the Cochrane Roping Club marks its possessions with either the initials of the club, principally C R C or the brand C R A.

week of May 4 - Roping steers arriving from Doug Wilkinson
Friday, May 15 -
Thursday, May 7 – Train the roping steers
Sunday, May 10 – 1st Practice roping
Tuesday, May 12 – Test the Heel-o-matic
Thursday May 14 – 1st Point Night
Tentative Saturday, May 16 - Work Bee weekend
Roping Cattle from Mark Graham and Doug Wilkinson
Youth Roping Program registration ends May 9, 2009
Youth Roping Program starts May 19, 2009
Youth Roping Program ends August 4, 2009

ABOUT THE CATTLE USED IN TEAM ROPING
The Cochrane Roping Club uses both Texas Long Horn or Corrientes cattle depending on availability. This livestock is provided locally, there are a number of local producers who raise this hardy animal. This livestock is typical of the stock used in competitive rodeo.

The Texas Long Horn and Corriente cattle are breed of cattle that descended from hardy Spanish cattle brought to the Americas in the late 1400’s. They are primarily used today as sport cattle for rodeo events such as team roping and bull dogging (steer wrestling. Texas longhorns (which many believe to be descended from Corrientes), are hardy animals, require less water and can live on sparse open range.

Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer (typically a Corriente) and two mounted cowboys or cowgirls. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns; the second is the "heeler," who ropes the steer by its hind feet.

Cowboys, historically developed this technique on working ranches when it was necessary to capture and restrain a full-grown animal for branding and/or doctoring for screw worm infections which were predominant in the wild cattle of the south west at that time. This ability to catch the semi-wild cattle by roping them from horseback enabled the assimilation of large herds of longhorns that were then driven to the eastern markets by trail drives or were used to stock the large ranches of the western USA and CANADA.

Today, in a rodeo event, the steers are moved through a series of narrow runways from a holding corral and lined up to enter a chute with spring loaded doors. One steer at a time is loaded into the chute. On each side of the chute is an area called the box. The header is on one side (usually the left, for a right-handed header) whose job is to rope the steer around the horns, or neck, then turn the steer so its hind legs can be roped by the heeler, who starts from the box on the other side of the chute. A taut rope, called the barrier, runs in front of the header and is fastened to an easily released rope on the neck of the steer of a designated length, used to ensure that the steer gets a head start. An electronic barrier, consisting of an electric eye connected to a timing device, is often used in place of the barrier rope.

When the header is ready, he or she calls for the steer and an assistant pulls or trips a lever, opening the chute doors. The freed steer breaks out running. When the steer reaches the end of the rope, the barrier releases. The header must rope the steer with one of three legal catches: clean horn catch (around both horns), a neck catch (around the neck) or a half-head catch (around the neck and one horn). The header then takes a dally, that is a couple of wraps of the rope around the horn of the saddle. Once the header has made the dally, he will turn his horse, usually to the left, and the steer will follow, still running.

The heeler waits until the header has turned the steer. When he or she has a clear way, he throws a loop of rope under the running steer's hind legs and catches them. As soon as the heeler also dallies tight, the header turns his horse to directly face the steer and heeler. Time is then called by the field judge and both members of the team get the same time. The team with the fastest time single or accumulative time then wins the event.

The Cochrane Roping Club, and other roping associations and clubs, no longer requiring the headers horse to face up. This results in more humane handling of cattle in that they no longer experience the jerk when the ropes come tight as the header can un-dally as soon as the heeler has finished his dally. Facing up by the header is not necessary in point roping either. In point roping each member of the team individual ability is assessed independently. The header can earn 4 points for a clean horn catch and 2 points for a head or neck catch. There are potential bonus points available to the header of 1 or 2 points if the header handles his cattle in such a manner to enable the heeler to catch one foot (2 points) or two feet (4 points). Thus there is a potential of 10 points for a clean run split 6 for the header and 4 for the heeler and all the various combinations. Thus ropers are competing as individuals only against other ropers of the same type rather than as teams. The top point holders of both headers and heelers then win the event.

Cochrane Roping Club
2009 Youth Roping Program
Professional Instruction Provided By Joe Lucas

The Cochrane Roping Club is very pleased to be offering a Youth Roping Program during the 2009 Team Roping season. If you are interested in learning how to rope this is the best way to do it! No experience is necessary. This program is primarily for beginner, novice and intermediate ropers. You must be 21 years old or younger by April 15, 2009 to be eligible to participate.

Funding in support of this program is provided with approval of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission. The Youth Roping Program is being offered at no cost to the youth participant; however membership with the Cochrane Roping Club and Cochrane & District Agriculture Society is a requirement. The Cochrane Roping Club fee is reduced for the Youth Program participant to $1 (one dollar), the fee for the Ag Society is $51 for a single, $85 for family membership.

The program will be every Tuesday at 6:30 pm commencing May 19th at the Cochrane Ag Society Park outdoor arena. The program is 12 weeks in duration ending August 4. In the event of inclement weather the program will be moved to the indoor arena.

Professional instruction is provided by Joe Lucas. Joe is a 4 time Canadian Calf Roping Champion, 21 time Canadian Finals Rodeo qualifier, 6 time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, former Calgary Stampede Champion and former Cowboy of the Year.

Enrolment is first come, first serve basis. Registration deadline is May 9, 2009. Space is limited to 25 participants.

The Board of Directors reserves the right to permanently remove or with-hold the ‘member in good standing’ designation if the behavior of the club member is contrary to the objectives and the spirit of the Cochrane Roping Club.

Cochrane & District Ag Society
Please note that if you are already a member of CDAS, you do not pay for a second membership. Please make a separate check for the CDAS membership.

Cochrane & District Ag Society Membership Fees
	Membership Fee	Grounds Use Fee	Total
Single	$15	$36	$51
Family	$25	$60	$85

CRC Membership	Fees
Membership Fee	$40
Cattle Assessment Fee	$150
Member Roping Fee	$20/night
Non Member Roping Fee	$35/night

Please note that the roping club requires a separate check for the Cochrane & District Ag Society membership.

The single largest expense the roping club has is the cost of the cattle. The roping club directors do their best to find the best deal on cattle which may mean purchase or lease or combination of both. Many Long Horn producers prefer an outright purchase business model. Were cattle is purchased, it is usually at a rate higher in the spring (~$400) than can be sold in fall (~$200). Consequently the roping club sees a deficit of about $200/steer over the course of the season. Roping fees help to offset this deficit. Depending on membership, the roping club has been purchasing upwards of 25 head of Long Horn steers.
Cattle Assessment Fee, what is it? These are the funds used to purchase the cattle. A portion of, or this entire fee, may be returned at the end of the season depending on the success of the roping year in terms of roping fees collected.
Roping Fee is applied to every member or non member for every time a roper is in
Membership Cards, are the property of the CRC which the member has the privilege of keeping as long as they are a member in good standing.

The Cochrane Roping Club is a non profit organization and depends on the assistance membership and volunteers to run the business of the club and its events. Members are expected to participate in the general running of the club and working the chutes, collecting cattle, wrapping horns and arena cleanup. The roping club also depends on volunteers to assist with the events such as fund raising, interclub rodeo and finals. The Big Hill West 4-H Club Funriders, Cochrane & District Ag Society has been very helpful in this regard and the roping club extends their heart felt thanks for this assistance. If you have an interest in the sport and would like to help out, please let one of the directors know.

Youth Roping Program 12 consecutive Tuesdays commencing May 19 through to August 4 (6:30 to 9:30 PM)
Thursdays are member’s point night (7:00 to 9:00 PM)
Sundays are practice, open to members & non members (2:00 to 4:00 PM)
Club season starts May through September
Roping will be held in outdoor arena weather permitting. If there is inclement weather the CRC will make arrangements to use the indoor arena if it is available.

POINT NIGHT
Point night is held every Thursday evening for the members in good standing of the Cochrane Roping Club. It is an opportunity for the cowgirls and cowboys to exercise their skills in friendly competition. Points for the Header and Heeler are accumulated over the course of the season and aggregated to determine Hi Point winner. The end of the season is marked with a final Jackpot where the Hi Point winners receive prizes as well as the winners of the final Jackpot. In order to qualify for the final Jackpot, contestants must be a member in good standing and attend at least 10 point night ropings.

	Catch	Points
Header	Clean Horn	4
	Neck	2
	Half Head	2
	Broken Barrier	-1
Heeler	Double Heel	2
Heeler	Single Heel	1

Hi Point Header – Lindsay Eklund
2nd – Darrel (Doc) Florence
3rd – Stan Cena

COMMUNITY SUPPORT
The CRC works at fund raising events to support various youth group initiatives that are in alignment with the clubs objectives. CRC is proud to support the following youth programs: