AQHA Team Penning Rules


(a) General Rules


(1) A team of three must cut from the herd and pen three head of cattle with the assigned (same) identity number or colored neckband. The fastest time wins.


(2) The numbers, or colors, and working order will be drawn by the judge and show management before the start of the contest.


(3) All cattle will be bunched on the cattle side of the starting line before the time begins.


(4) There shall be two flagmen, one at the entrance to the pen and one at the start/foul line. The judge must be located at the 194 start/foul line, and may or may not actually flag the contest at his/her discretion. There shall be at least two timekeepers. The first timer shall be the official time and the second timer shall be the back-up time, in the event the first timer misses the time or his watch fails.


(5) The line flagman will raise the flag to signal when the arena is ready.


(6) Contestants will be given their cattle penning number or color of neckband when the line flagman drops his flag as the nose of the first horse crosses the starting line. Riders are committed once they enter the arena.


(7) Once committed to the cattle, the team is responsible for their animals. It is the team’s responsibility, before working the cattle, to pull up and call for a judge’s decision if, in their opinion, there is an injured or unusable animal in their numbered or colorbanded cattle. Once the cattle are worked, no excuses are accepted.


(8) If for any reason a team does not participate after the order of go has been drawn, their cattle number will be drawn in the order the team would have run. The drawn number or colored band will not be used in that set of teams. This will avoid changing the order of go for the other contestants.


(9) Three divisions, all-age youth, all-age amateur and allage open may be offered.

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(b) Measurements


(1) Numbers must be minimum of 6 inches (15cm) tall and colored neckbands be a minimum of 6 inches (15 cm) wide. Numbers must be applied to both sides of the animal, high up on its side, with the top near the midline of the animal’s back between the shoulder and the hip.


(2) The optimum number of cattle per herd is 30; however, a maximum of 45 are allowed and a minimum of 21 per herd is required even if there are less than seven teams. All cattle within a herd must be numbered in groups of three.


(A) There must be three head of assigned (identical numbers or colored neckbands) cattle per team in the herd as each new team begins a run.


(B) There must always be the same number of cattle in each of the herds used in a go-round.


(3) The starting and foul line must be designated by markers located on the arena fence, and easily viewed by the line judge and the exhibitors. The foul line shall be between 30 percent and 35 percent of the arena length from the cattle end of the arena, and the foul line shall be determined and advertised as such by the Event Producer. The foul line may be extended by 5 percent for each 10’ beyond 110’ in width, to accommodate bigger, wider arenas. The entry gate to the pen shall be situated 25 percent of the distance from the arena back wall, but shall not be less than 55 feet from the arena back wall.


(c) Time


(1) Show management may use of 60, 75, or 90 second time limits for each division, but must advertise accordingly. Youth classes will be held using the 90-second time limit.


(2) A warning must be given to the team working the cattle at 30 seconds, prior to a final time being called.


(3) To call for time, one rider must stand in the gate and raise a hand for the flag. Flag will drop when the nose of the first horse enters the gate and the rider calls for time.

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(4) Time continues until all unpenned cattle are completely on the cattle side of the starting line.


(d) Penalties

- All penalties incurred will be added to a qualified run even if the penalty time exceeds the 90 second time limit.


5 Second Penalty -

Per exhibitor will be assessed if the hat or helmet is not on the exhibitor’s person until completion of the run.


Rerun

-In the event the 30 second warning is not given, a rerun may be given at the request of the team. If the team requests a rerun, the cattle will be settled and a rerun will immediately be given using the same numbered or color-banded cattle, with a 60 second penalty.


-If an animal leaves the arena, either over or through the fence, the team can either be disqualified for unnecessary roughness, or can be given a rerun, depending on the judge’s decision. If a rerun is given, it must be given at the end of the total go-round.


-If no fresh cattle are available for reruns, the cattle to be used will be determined by the show management and judge. If more than one rerun is given in any go-round, they will be taken in order of occurrence.


If cattle are to be re-used and additional fresh cattle are needed, the used cattle must be mixed with fresh cattle and renumbered or color-banded. Every attempt must be made to insure each team works the same number of used and fresh cattle.


-If a team is given a number or colored neckband that has already been used within a given herd, a rerun must be given immediately, using the correct number or colored neckband within that same herd. Should the error be discovered after the herd has been removed from the arena, then the rerun will be given at the end of the total go-round using the same herd.

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-In the event more or less than three assigned (identical numbers or colored neckbands) cattle are discovered within a herd the team(s) with more or less than three assigned cattle must have a rerun at the end of the total go-round. Times for all other teams within such a misnumbered herd will remain the same.


-Cattle cannot be reused within a go-round of a division except as specified in above rule for reruns.


No Time


- Will be given if an animal is knocked or cut into the pen after time is called.-If an animal escapes from the pen, when team is calling for time.


-If animal escapes from the pen, when team is calling for time prior to the time when all unpenned cattle are on the cattle side of the starting line. Escaped animal is one with any part of the animal coming out of the opening of the pen.


-If team calls for time with any wrong numbered or colored neckbanded cattle in the pen.


-If team exhibits any unnecessary roughness.


-If more than three (3) head of cattle are across the start/foul line at the same time. Any part of the fourth animal that crosses the line will invoke a no time.


Disqualification


-Any delay by the contestants to start.


-Contact with cattle by hands, hats, ropes, bats, romal or any other equipment. No hazing with whips, hats or ropes allowed.

 Romals or reins may be swung or popped on chaps.


-Unnecessary roughness to cattle or horses or unsportsmanlike conduct.

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-Fall of horse and/or rider shall not eliminate the entry; however any attempt by a dismounted rider to work cattle before remounting will result in a disqualification.


-DQ of a team member will result in DQ of the entire team.


(e) Placing/Ties


(1) A team may call for time with only one or two assigned
cattle being penned. However, teams penning three head of cattle place higher than two, and two higher than one, regardless of time.


In multiple go-round contests, teams that pen in each go-round will beat teams that fail to pen in a go-round, regardless of the number of cattle penned or time. In a multiple go-round contest, in the event that teams pen their cattle in only one go-round, the fastest time wins, regardless of which go-round. In multiple go-rounds, times are accumulated to determine placings.


(2) In the event of a tie affecting the placings, each team will be allowed to pen one numbered or color banded animal. Fastest time breaks the tie.


(3) Points will be awarded based on the number of teams entered. For every five teams there will be a point awarded to each of three winning team members.