Speed Penning

2010 Rules

(as setout by the Alberta Annual Classic Committee)

Guiding Principles:      To provide a fast paced, exciting and energetic alternative to 3-man penning that will pit 2 riders against the clock and each other in a bracket head to head race format.  Skill, speed, accuracy, timing, horsemanship and the ability to read cattle will make the difference between a winning run and a blowout. 

NOTE: ROUGHING OF CATTLE WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT BE TOLERATED IN THIS EVENT.

Definitions:

Lane:       A 30 – 40’ x 160 – 200’ fenced alley with a 12’ x 12’ pen situated approximately 30’ off the pen end of the lane and fastened to the common fence between the two lanes.  Banners should be fastened to the back of the pen and down the centre of fence that separates the two lanes.  In the outside corner at the pen end of the lane, a panel will be positioned in such a way as to round the corner somewhat to keep cattle from jamming in the corner and reduce the potential for roughing.

Heat:       A single head to head race between two riders where the first rider to complete the run will move on to the next head to head race.  See example below.

Bracket:   The entire series of heats that pits two riders, head to head against each other, with the winning rider advancing until there is one rider left.  See example below.

                                       Rider 1

                           Heat                             Rider 1

                                       Rider 2

Bracket                                                                Rider 4

                                       Rider 3

                                                               Rider 4

                                       Rider 4

1. Two lanes, each lane will be of equal length, width and arrangement so as not to give an unfair advantage or disadvantage to either lane, with a pen at one end of each lane.  There will be no foul line except the mouth of the pen.  The pen will be approximately 12’ x 12’ and positioned along the common fence between the two lanes.
2. Each lane will contain 10 head of cattle numbered 0 – 9.
3. Each lane will have its own judge.  Each judge is ONLY responsible to judge their lane and any infractions and/or the completion of the run in their lane.
4. The maximum time limit for both Speed Penning classes will be 60 seconds. Within this time limit the rider in each lane must separate from the herd and pen one animal with the same assigned identity number that was announced at the start of the penning run. In instances where the riders have completed their runs and the flags were dropped at almost the same time as the maximum time buzzer has sounded the judge must refer to the timekeepers to determine whether or not the maximum time limit has been exceeded. All a judge can do is drop the flag to signify the timers to stop the clock. The timer will then tell the judge and scorekeeper if the time was within the maximum time allowed.  No courtesy buzzer at 30 seconds will be given for either Speed Penning class.  Riders exceeding the 60 second time limit will be disqualified. Should both riders in a heat be disqualified, the rider of the next heat that would have run against one of these two disqualified riders will receive a bye to the next heat.
5. The front of the pen (side with the opening) is the start line.  The “starter” will sound a horn for both lanes and as soon as the horn sounds the number will be called.  Each rider will be going after the same number from their respective lane.  For example, when the horn sounds and the announcer calls “#2”, both riders will be going after the “#2” from their own lane.
6. Time starts for each lane when the nose horn sounds.
7. Time stops when ALL 4 feet of the properly numbered cow, #2 in our example above crosses the opening plane of the pen and the judge for that lane drops their flag.  Any visual ties (where both judges drop their flags at the same apparent time) will be broken by the time.
8. If any wrong numbered cow fully enters the pen (ALL 4 feet cross the opening plane of the pen), then the rider will be disqualified.  If both riders pen the wrong numbered cow in a heat then the rider that would have competed against one of these disqualified riders will receive a bye into the next heat.
9. Only 8 numbers will be used on any given herd to reduce stress on each herd and provide less of an advantage to any given rider.  Should a number in either lane be considered unreadable or unusable, that number will be withdrawn from the herd and another number used from the 2 remaining numbers.
10. At anytime during the run if the designated number that has been assigned to the run leaves either lane and this is not caused by a roughing, both lanes will be flagged down and a restart of both lanes will occur once the missing number is returned to the appropriate lane.  However, if at anytime during the run one of the unassigned numbers leaves either lane and this is not caused by a roughing, the run will continue until completion.  Once this run is complete, the missing number will be returned to the lane that it left from unless replacement of this animal is warranted.
11. The Alberta Annual Classic Arena Director, in consultation with the Speed Penning judges will have the final say on any disputes that may arise.