BREAKAWAY ROPING

BREAKAWAY ROPING
I. Time Limit:
There will be a thirty (30) second time limit with optional one (1)
minute time limit at state/province rodeos. There will be a mandatory
thirty (30) second time limit at the National High School Finals
Rodeo.
The judge will determine legitimate time allowed before contestant
calls for animal.

II. General Rules:
1. Contestant may change horses in breakaway roping.
2. Roping Box—shall be part of arena during roping events.
3. Refer to page 120 for Score Line Diagram.
4. Once score line has been set in timed events, it will not be changed
in that go, nor can length of box be changed.
5. Lap and Tap - No barrier to be used. If barrier judge is used to flag
the start, he shall flag the animal when animal’s nose crosses the
starting line.
6. The line judge must have a tape measure in his possession in case
the short end of the barrier is carried. The pigtail of the barrier should
not exceed 10 inches in length. A longer pigtail on a barrier will often
be carried when the barrier should have been broken. If the pigtail is
carried more than 10 feet from the pin, the barrier may be waived,
providing the contestant did not obviously beat the barrier. However,
if the contestant has obviously broken the barrier you may still
impose a beating- the-barrier penalty.
7. Should the barrier break at any point other than designated breaking
point, the decision is up to the barrier judge. If contestant obviously
beats the barrier, but the staples are pulled or barrier rope is
broken and string unbroken, barrier judge may assess a ten- second
fine. Otherwise, this will not be considered a broken barrier.
8. If automatic barrier does not work, but time is recorded, contestant
will get time, but there will be no penalty for broken barrier.
9. If automatic barrier fails to work and official time has not started,
contestant will get stock back if stock is qualified on in the field, therefore
entitling contestant to a rerun without penalties.
10. If automatic barrier fails to work, and stock is brought back, contestant
must take same animal over during or immediately after the
same performance.
11. If barrier equipment hangs on animal and contestant tries the
animal, she accepts the animal. If contestant pulls up, she will receive
the same animal back.
12. Calf belongs to contestant when she calls for it, regardless of what
happens, with the following exceptions:
a. In any timed event, if an animal escapes from the arena, the
field judge will drop flag and all watches will be stopped. Contestant
will receive original animal back with a lap-and- tap start. Time
already accumulated will be added to time used to complete the qualifying
run. If time is not recorded, the contestant will receive a 10- second
penalty for any jump or any loop used.
b. In case of mechanical failure.
c. If, in the opinion of the line judge, contestant is fouled by barrier,
contestant shall get her calf back, providing contestant declares

herself by pulling up.
13. A contestant must be on her horse and her horse must break the
plane of the barrier with her draw breaking the plane of the score line
before she is allowed to compete.
14. Time to be taken between two flags.
15. It shall be the arena director’s responsibility to see that contestant
competes on the stock drawn for her. In the event of a mistake, stock
drawn for must be run during that performance and only that time or
score taken.
16. This event shall not be conducted with an open catch pen gate at
any rodeo.
III. Event Rules:
1. This event is open to girls only.
2. Two loops will be allowed if two ropes are carried.
3. Ropes are to be tied to the saddle horn with nylon string. A knot
must be at the end of the rope with the string tied at the knot. There
will be no tail. A white flag that is visible to the flagman or judge must
be attached at the knot end of the rope.
4. Rope must be tied to the horn with a nylon string and may not be
run through bridle, tie down, neck rope or any other device.
5. String will be provided and will be inspected by designated official
before each contestant competes.
6. The second rope must remain tied until used and must not be broken
away from the saddle horn.
7. At the National High School Finals Rodeo only, a contestant can
carry only one loop in the first two go- rounds.
8. Should the contestant miss with the first loop and her second loop
becomes uncoiled or loose and touches the ground, she will receive a
no time.
9. Only a white cloth must be attached to the rope at the saddle horn
so the judge can tell when the rope breaks from the horn.
10. The calf’s head must pass through the loop. The loop must draw
up on any part of the calf’s body behind the head.
11. Rope must be released from contestant’s hand to be a legal catch.
12. In case the field flag judge flags out a roper that still legally has
one or more loops coming, the judge may give the same calf back lap
and tap, plus time already lapsed and any barrier penalty.
13. Ropers must be mounted when time is taken.
14. In case the field judge flags out a roper that still legally has one or
more loops coming, the judge may give the same calf back, lap and
tap, plus time already lapsed and any barrier penalties. If time was
not recorded, the contestant will receive a 10- second penalty for any
loop used. Contestant to only get to use remaining loop.

IV. Scoring and Penalties:
1. In order for time to be considered official, barrier flag must operate.
2. Timed event judge will not flag contestant out until time is recorded.
3. Judge is to flag time, then flag contestant out if run is not legal.
4. There will be a ten- second penalty assessed for breaking the barrier.
5. Roping calf without releasing loop from hand will disqualify catch.
6. Contestant will be disqualified for any abusive treatment of calf or
her horse.
7. The contestant will receive no time should she break the rope away
from the saddle horn by hand. However, if the rope should dally
around the horn, the contestant may ride forward, undally the rope
and then stop her horse to make the rope break away.
8. If any part of the pusher breaks the plain of the chute gate before the
calf releases the barrier, the contestant receives a no time.
9. No rattling of chute. A timed event contestant may not have someone
rattle the chute for her. This applies in both the performance and
the slack. The contestant and/or person rattling the chute shall be disqualified.
10. Time should be taken with the average of two (2) times at all
Rodeos.
V. Reruns:
1. In any timed event, if an animal escapes from the arena, flag will
be dropped and watches stopped. Contestant will get animal back
with lap and tap start, and time already spent will be added to time
used in qualifying plus barrier penalties, if any.
2. During any performance if an animal escapes the chutes or pens
before it is called for by the contestant, or if an automatic barrier fails
to work and the stock is brought back, that animal will be returned by
the arena director and the labor crew during or at the end of that performance
in the same manner he was originally worked or brought to
the pens for contesting. At least several head of animals will be
brought back together. No animal may be repenned by itself.
Decisions will be made by the arena director about when stock is
repenned.
3. No rerun will be given due to faulty or broken equipment furnished
by contestant.
4. If the judge sees he has made an error in flagging, he must declare
a rerun before the contestant leaves the arena.
5. A calf must be rerun before it is used by another contestant.
6. When both the digital clocks malfunction and no time was recorded
from digital watches, if stock was qualified on in the field, contestant
will be given a rerun at a time designated by the Judges and the

Arena Director, plus any barrier penalties. If barrier penalties, then
lap and tap start.
7. In breakaway roping, if an animal fails to break the neck rope and
time is officially started by the contestant, that animal belongs to the
contestant. However, if time is started by the animal and the breakaway
roper remains behind the plain of the barrier for approximately
10 seconds that animal should be considered a sulking animal and
replaced using the misdraw procedure.
VI. Officials:
1. There shall be two or more timers, a field flag judge, and a barrier
judge.
2. A third official may be used to help determine legal catches or any
infractions of the rules. This official need not be mounted.
3. Flag judge will make final decision.
4. A field flag judge must ask contestants if they want a second loop.
Once a contestant has been flagged out, she will receive no stock back.
5. Barrier judge is responsible to change barrier string whenever it
may have been weakened, or on request of next contestant.
6. Barrier judge shall keep a record of the length of the barrier trip
rope each performance to assure the same start for contestants each
performance.
7. Barrier equipment must be inspected by the judge before each
timed event. If equipment is faulty, it must be replaced.
8. Barrier Judge shall be sure that nobody can stand close enough to
barrier or barrier equipment to tamper with same.
9. Height of barrier in timed events shall be from 32” to 36” measured
at the center of the box.
VII. Optional Rules:
1. At any rodeo in any roping event, State/Province Associations may
implement a ground rule limiting breakaway roper to one loop. Not
to apply to State/Province or National Finals.
2. Electric timers are option at State/Province level.
3. Association furnishing string to tie rope to saddle will be optional
at State/Provincial sanctioned rodeos.