SECTION 11 of the
USTRC rulebook is devoted entirely to the treatment of livestock. It reads as follows:
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| 11.1 Steers- All roping steers shall be either native, longhorn, or Mexican corriente.
Weight for cattle shall be a minimum of 350 pounds, maximum
of 500 pounds. |
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We do not want cattle so small or weak as to pose a potential for jerking animals on the ground by
horses, and neither do we want the animals so large that they could pose
potential stress leg and foot injury to our horses. It is generally
believed that G-forces and momentum forces are less severe with the
lighter weight cattle. |
| 11.1.1 Number of Steers- Stock contractors are
required to have a minimum number of steers equal to one-third the number
of teams in the largest day of the competition. |
| This rule was
placed in the books to guarantee that no animal can be used more than a
half dozen times any particular day. We feel any animal can conceivably
make six, two hundred yard dashes during a ten hour period without facing
any chance of exhaustion. |
| 11.1.2 Removal from Draw- USTRC reserves the right to
withdraw any steer from the herd at any time. Head duckers, draggers, stoppers, eliminators, unusually slow cattle
and cattle that turn back into the corners shall be pulled from the herd
immediately as they surface during the USTRC qualification roping.
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| The response here is the same as the
previous rule, it appears to be for the contestant, but it has been placed
to remove any marginally injured cattle before they become seriously
injured. |
| 11.1.3 Inspection- Steers will be inspected by the
contractor prior to the first event. No sore, lame, sick or injured
animal, or animal with defective eye sight shall be permitted in the draw
at any time. Should an animal become sick or crippled during the course of
the roping, that animal shall be removed from the competition immediately.
Animals removed from the arena pursuant to this section shall be placed in
a situation as isolated and comfortable as possible to reduce
stress. |
| 11.2 Humane Treatment of Livestock- If a USTRC
roper excessively abuses an animal by any unnecessary non-competitive or
competitive action, he shall be disqualified and forfeit all entry fees.
The judge shall immediately inform the announcer that the contestant has
been disqualified and announcer will immediately announce the
disqualification due to unnecessary roughness of livestock. |
| 11.2.2 Heels- USTRC strongly discourages the use of 3/8 scant
ropes. |
| USTRC believes that the smaller diameter ropes have a
tendency to more easily burn cowhide that it might come in contact with
than larger diameter ropes. For this reason, we give warnings to ropers
using the smaller ropes and then penalize them if the refuse to comply. We
have no intention of removing this rule. |
| 11.2.3 Prodding- No animal shall be treated inhumanely or prodded excessively.
Standard electric prods shall be used as little as possible. Animal shall
be touched only on the hip and shoulder area with prod. |
| 11.2.4 Failure to Heed Warning- Any contestant who fails to heed an
initial warning from a field flagger that he is mistreating an animal will
forfeit his entry fees in all divisions for the remainder of that
event. |
11.2.5 Run Stopped By Judge- Judge may stop an uncompleted run at
anytime he observes an injured animal, to remove that animal from
competition. This action will result in a rerun for contestants.
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| MORE ON USTRC'S DEVOTION TO ANIMAL WELFARE |
USTRC and Animal Welfare
USTRC Competition Guidlines Protecting Livestock |
