How to Compete in a Team Penning Event

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Spurs
Jeans
Long-sleeved Shirts
Western Saddles
Riding Boots
Saddle Pads

Step 1

Get a team together. You'll need three riders and three horses.
Step 2

Ride a well-trained horse. Team penning horses will generally be of stock type, but any horse can pen.
Step 3

Count 30 head of cattle in a herd. Each cow is numbered 0 to 9 on its back. There are three cows of each number.
Step 4

Start at one end of the arena. When the judge says the timer is ready, all three riders will ride toward the herd at the opposite end of the arena.
Step 5

Pass the start line and the announcer will call out a number, 0 to 9.
Step 6

Know that in team penning, the idea is to take three cows with the number called out by the announcer, then separate them from the rest of the herd and move them into a pen at the other end of the arena.
Step 7

Get all three cows with that number and bring them back to the pen within 2 1/2 minutes.
Step 8

Don't let more than five cows of other numbers cross the start line or your team will be disqualified.
Step 9

Realize that if you get any cows in the pen other than those with the called number, you'll have to remove them and send them back to the other side of the start line before time stops.
Step 10

Receive a time for penning only two cows, but any team penning three cows, even with a slower time, will be ahead of you.
Step 11

Understand that if your team pens no cows in the allotted time, you'll receive no score.

Comments

debandjoker said

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on 11/27/2008 What is the best way to approach a cow to move it and keep it moving? I am just learning with my horse and having a great time.

on 8/15/2007 I agree with Mike McGraw -- you need to be able to "read" the cows before running in there and penning on the horses! If you know or have an idea of what the cow is going to do, it is alot easier on your horse to get to where you need to be before the cow does!

giddyupgal said

on 1/9/2008 in my experience a shorter backed horse is better equiped to make the turns to match the cow..hence cutting bred or reiners do a great job...

krsdonnel said

on 1/8/2007 When pushing the cow to pen at other end make sure you push it far enough so it will not come back across the line on you and into the herd.

Anonymous said

on 6/30/2006 Watching an event is very helpful for new riders. But the best way to learn the sport is to attend a clinic for Novice riders. Central Maine Team Penning Association holds several of these clinics throughout the year.