The Action - Team Penning

Now, I must state, for full disclosure, I know NOTHING about Team Penning and this was only my second time watching my Sister and Brother-in-Law participate.

Having stated that, here is my take on this sport...   30 head of cattle are brought into the ring, they are numbered from 0 to 9 and there are 3 cows that wear each number. 

Three team members, on horses, enter the other end of the ring.

The Horsemen/women have no more than 90 seconds to enter the heard, cut or seperate the cows bearing the number assigned for them to find.  Once the rider finds a cow with their assigned number they and their horse must break this cow from the heard and send it to the other end of the arena.  While keeping that cow at that end of the arena, they then must find the remaining two and cut them out.

Once all three have been seperated from the heard the riders then must force these specific 3 cows into a pen, hence the name Penning.

The team with the fastest time wins!

To the Novice Viewer (that would be me) action is a funny word to be using for most of this 90 second event.  From what I can tell, the object is to casually enter the heard without upsetting it, and then separate your designated cow from the remainder.  Once separated, then the fun starts as they chase that cow to the other end.  I say this because, a lot of my "action" photos just look like a horse and rider just walking amoung a heard of cows, but there is some very real stratagy and skill taking place between the team members and between rider and their horse.

For more specific and technical information on the rules and procedures I encourage you to visit the Ottawa Valley Team Penning (OVTPA) website at:  click here

Further I encourage you to visit the OVTPA website for more photos and dates/places of upcoming events. Click here  It is a great way to spend a day with the family.

More Photos to come. 

Comments or corrections on what I have said above, about how this event takes place, are always welcome and encouraged.