Team roping

Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer (typically a Corriente) and two mounted riders.

[1] Cowboys originally developed this technique on working ranches when it was necessary to capture and restrain a full-grown animal that was too large to handle by a single man.

[2] Over the years, as the sport has grown, a numbering system was added to rate each ropers individual talent level.

Today there are tens of thousands of amateur ropers who compete for millions of dollars in prize money.

[4] When the header is ready, they call for the steer and an assistant pulls a lever, opening the chute doors.

[5] Once the header has made the dally, the rider turns the horse, usually to the left, and the steer will follow, still running.

[4] A successful professional-level team takes between 4 and 8 seconds to stretch the steer, depending on the length of the arena.

[6] In some round-robin format competitions the header and heeler are awarded points for each catch instead of timing the run.

When the roper releases, they are to stop the hand open, flat, and palm down at the point where the loop is thrown.

Heeling is all about timing; the tip of the loop has to be at its lowest point as the steer's legs are coming forward.