RANCH SORTING EVENT ENTRY RULES
- All team members must be listed and full entry fees accompany all entries - no exceptions. Incomplete entries will NOT be accepted.
- Ranch Sorting event is open to KLICKITAT COUNTY RESIDENTS only. Participants must have been county residents at least 90 days prior to fair. If participants are college students whose parents are Klickitat County residents, they may participate as county residents the same year following their college graduation. A current local driver’s license is used to determine residency. A signed release form is required.
- You may enter twice in each eligible class (Youth, Open and Pro-Novice), changing partners once each.
- Eligibility:
- Any rider can enter the Open class.
- To be eligible for Pro-novice, novice rider must be 14 years old as of August 1 of the current year, OR any rider who has not exceeded lifetime winnings of more than $500 in ANY cattle event, in or out of Klickitat County by date of entry.
- Pro-novice teams may include two Novice riders, a Pro and a Novice rider, BUT NOT TWO PRO-LEVEL RIDERS.
- There are no substitutions of team members with the exception of injury, illness or natural disaster.
AWARDS
- High Point awards for male and female combined high score. Must enter both Open and Pro-Novice classes to qualify.
- High Point award for male and female Over the Hill (60+) combined high score. Must enter both Open and Pro-Novice classes to qualify.
- High point award for Youth. All cattle sorted in all classes will go toward the award. Youth Class includes all riders who are 18 and younger by the time the entries close.
DRESS CODE
All contestants must wear a western hat (no baseball caps), ASTME/SEI helmet or no hat, with a long-sleeved shirt with cuffs down and buttoned. Failure to wear western attire will result in disqualification. For safety reasons, western boots must also be worn.
ENTRIES, RESULTS AND CONTEST INFORMATION
Entries, results or additional contest information will be posted as they become available.
RANCH SORTING FORMAT & RULES
1. A team consists of two riders as defined above in Youth, Open and Pro-Novice classes.
2. There are ten cows in the pen, numbered 0-9. There may be at least two cows with no numbers considered as blanks, not to be sorted through the gate into the other pen.
3. The foul/start line is a 12 foot opening between two round pens, each measuring 60 feet with 45 degree angles. The Sorting committee will oversee the setting up of the pens.
4. There is a 60-second time limit.
5. Cattle are bunched on back side of the pen before the run begins. Cattle are sorted back and forth between pens..
6. Time begins when the nose of first horse crosses the start/foul line and the judge drops flag. Designated starting cattle number is announced immediately after flag drops.
7. The team must sort cattle in numerical order beginning with the designated starting number. A cow is considered sorted when it is completely across the start/foul line. If any part of sorted cow re-crosses the start/foul line, the team is disqualified. If any part of a cow that is out of numerical sequence or a blank cow crosses the start/foul line, the team is disqualified.
8. Unnecessary roughness to the cattle will result in disqualification at the discretion of the judge. Examples include, but not limited to: stepping on hind legs, running into fence, running into hind legs, and running over. The judge's decision is final.
9. Top 10% of teams come back for champion round. The team sorting the highest number of cattle on two rounds win.
10. The judge cannot be approached at any time during the run. Doing so will result in disqualification.
11. Coaching and spotting are encouraged during competition. Spectators and contestants encouraged to cheer each other on.
12. Grievances:
a. A grievance committee is present during event.
b. A cowbell is hung on the fence for the team to ring.
c. Bell must be rung BEFORE team leaves the pen.
d. A fee of $25 must be paid before the committee assembles.
13. No cattle sorted is considered a dirty run.