Laser focused, each rider and horse scan the pen. As soon as the flag drops, they bob and weave, moving from left to right in the blink of an eye.
It’s a race against the clock as teams work together to quickly and accurately sort through a pen of cattle.
Competitors young and old participated in today’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ Ranch Sorting Competition, displaying their precision and agility.
This high-stakes competition requires teams to utilize traditional ranching practices to demonstrate herd control skills by separating 11 head of cattle.
10 cattle are numbered, zero to nine, with one calf unmarked. Teams must strategically drive and separate the herd in numerical order, leaving the unmarked calf for last.
The goal — sort the most calves as fast as possible. If one calf crosses the barrier before its turn, the team is disqualified.
Unlike most competitive events, the Ranch Sorting Competition includes a relaxed atmosphere. It is truly a competition for the whole family, allowing both inexperienced and seasoned riders to test their ability and gain experience.
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