Ontario’s first-ever ranch roping team recently made their way to Saskatchewan to compete in the Canadian Finals competition. The words ‘ranch roping’ probably conjure a few images in your mind: a rodeo, swinging ropes, cows. The swinging ropes and cows are accurate, but ranch roping is a slower form of roping compared to rodeo style and involves three partners working together to rope a cow.
While ranch roping in Canada saw its beginnings in the western provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, the team is passionate about growing the sport in Ontario. Kelsey Loft, one of the team members, says that ranch roping can benefit horse handling and overall roping skills.
“It’s like a much slower form of roping versus the typical rodeo-style breakaway team roping that everybody, especially in Ontario, sees,” Loft says. “In Ontario, actually, we have a new adaptation of it.” There’s a breakaway class, which has very limited trotting or jogging and no loping. You rope your cow and then break away with your rope. There’s also a modified class, which is similar but doesn’t include the breakaway. There’s also variation that’s currently sanctioned with the Canadian Ranch Roping Association involves having you rope the head and the heel, then dally your rope around your saddle horn. A ground person then gets off their horse and adjusts the rope so that the head rope goes around the front feet of the cow, and the back rope goes around both back feet, if they weren’t already.