Description of Events

Ross Arena

9660 East Montague Road Leaf River, Illinois 61047

Welcome to one of the best arenas and challenge courses in Northern Illinois. Please check out the brief descriptions of some of the events held at Ross Arena, and should you need further information, please contact us.

Great Western Challenge Trail Course

The trail course takes place on the former Great Western Rail Road. The course consists of a water crossing, wooden bridge over a waterway, entering a cattle pen, separating one animal from eight others, exit cattle pen, steps or approximately 2'-0 high jump ups, steep hills for up and down traversing, and ending in a deep natural trail. We Hope you enjoy the challenge.

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NBHA Speed Days
Exhibition Starts @ 9:00 AM
First Class Begins @ 11:30 AM

$5.00 Grounds Fee Per Rider.
Youth - 18 years and under, Senior - 50 years & over
[Age as of January 1, 2009]

ENTRY FEE	PAYBACK	CLASS
$5	None	Exhibition Barrels [One Run Per Ticket]
$22 $250 Added Includes $2 NBHA Award Fee	80%	1.) NBHA 4D Barrels
$17 $50 Added Includes $2 NBHA Award Fee	80%	2.) Youth 3-D Barrels
$20 $50 Added Includes $2 NBHA Award Fee	80%	3.) Senior 3D Barrels
$20 $100 Added	75%	4.) Open 4-D Barrels
$5	None	Exhibition Poles [One Run Per Ticket]
$15 $50 Added	70%	5.) Open Poles

Approved By: NBHA IL-01
$10 NBHA Non-Member Fee
Must Present NBHA Card At Time Of Entry
[Put NBHA District And Number On Entry Card]

For More Information Contact Ross Arena @ (815)362-5411
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Ranch Horse

Ranch Horse Conformation - designed to showcase the conformation necessary for a ranch horse to do his job under saddle. Horses are ridden into the ring for judging. After walking to the judge and trotting past, horses are unsaddled along the rail for inspection.

Ranch Horse Pleasure - designed to show a ranch horse that is a pleasure to ride. Horses are required to work both ways in the arena at the walk, jog, and lope but ranch horses do so with more purpose to their strides. The walk is intended to cover ground, the jog should be faster than the walk, the extended jog is truly extended and the lope is a true 3-beat gain that is extended to a hard gallop. Horses reverse at the trot in one direction and the lope to the second direction.

Ranch Horse Versatility - features obstacles a ranch horse may encounter in their daily work as well as reining maneuvers that are also useful to a broke ranch horse. Obstacles include a gate, trotting across four logs, loping over a 12" jump, and a dragging obstacle. The reining work consists of loping figure-8 patterns with lead changes, stopping, rollbacks and backing.

Working Cow Horse - shows a horse's ability to work a cow. It consists of holding or boxing a cow at the end of the arena to show control, taking the cow down the fence and turning each direction, and then circling the cow in the middle of the arena in both directions. This class is similar to the AQHA class, but without the reining (dry) work.

Ranch Roping - the only timed event class within the ranch horse competition. The rider sorts out a designated cow from a heard (the cows are identified by wearing numbered collars) of 10 and ropes it with a breakaway rope. Head and/or horn catches which come tight when dallied to break the breakaway honda stop the time. The objective is to catch you cow with little chasing as possible and a herd holder may be used to help keep the cows gathered.

Ranch Cutting - Judged on the horse's ability. A single numbered cow is cut from a herd and held to show sufficient control. Then the contestant pens the cow within 2 minute, 30 second time limit.

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Versatility Ranch Horse

Ranch Riding - This class shows the horse's ability to move at a working speed with a rider. Horses will be shown at three gaits - walk, trot and lope - in each direction of the arena. Horses also will be asked to change directions while on the rail, stop and back. A horse will be given credit for traveling with his head in a normal position, ears alert and moving at a natural speed for the gait requested. Horses will be asked to extend the lope and the trot in at least one direction. Credit also will be given for making a smooth transition between the gaits, for keeping the correct lead and for maintaining the gait until the judge asks for a change. A rider must show his horse with only one hand on the reins, unless the horse is 5 years old or younger and is being shown in a snaffle bit or hackamore (bosal).

Ranch Trail - This class contains a course with a minimum of six obstacles and is designed to show a horse's ability and willingness to perform several tasks that might be asked of him during the course of a normal day's ranch work. Whenever possible, realistic or natural obstacles are encountered, and the course is encouraged to be set outside of an arena using normal terrain of the land. The horse will be judged on three gaits - walk, trot and lope - performed between six obstacles to be determined when the judge chooses the pattern. A horse will be rewarded with higher credit for performing these gaits on the correct lead and with an alert attitude. Mandatory obstacles are opening and closing a gate; dragging a log either in a straight line or around a pattern; unbridling, bridling and picking up all four feet. Some optional obstacles are crossing a water hazard; crossing a bridge; and roping a stationary steer.

Ranch Cutting - A specified numbered cow is cut from the herd, and the horse must demonstrate its ability to work the cow. When satisfied that the horse has proven its cutting ability, the horse and rider must pen the cow at the far end of the arena by driving it between a marker and corner of the pen prior to penning. Contestants will have 2-1/2 minutes to cut and pen a designated cow from a herd of at least 10 head. Horses will not be penalized for reining during the cutting portion and should display natural cow ability.

Working Ranch Horse - This class combines the ability of the working ranch horse to rein, handle cattle and put its rider in the position to rope and stop a cow. The class is to be judged in three section - reining, cow work and roping - with scores from each section added together for the final score of the class. Each contestant will perform individually. A maximum of six minutes is allowed to complete the class. When the six minute time limit has expired, the exhibitor will be required to exit the arena.

     Reining Pattern - One of two approved patterns will be used for this class. Maneuvers include at least one circle in both directions, change of leads in each direction, at least one 360-degree turn in each direction, a rollback in each direction, stop and back.

     Working The Cow - After the exhibitor has completed his reining pattern, he will call for the cow to be turned into the arena. Upon receiving the cow, the contestant shall hold the cow on the prescribed end of the arena for a sufficient amount of time to demonstrate the ability of the horse to contain the cow. After a reasonable amount of time, the contestant shall take the cow down the fence, making at least one turn each way on the fence.

     Roping - The exhibitor must then rope the cow and bring it to a stop. The horse is judged on his ability to trail, rate and stop the cow. There is to be no dragging and the exhibitor is allowed only two throws. Ropes can not be tied to the saddle horn. It's not necessary for the exhibitor to catch in order to receive a score.   However, if there is no catch, a five point penalty will be subtracted from the roping score.

Ranch Conformation - The goal of the ranch confirmation class is to preserve American Quarter Horse type by selecting well-mannered horses based on their resemblance to the breed ideal. Horses should have a positive combination of balance, structural correctness and movement with appropriate breed and sex characteristics, along with adequate muscling. Horses are to be shown in a good working halter (rope, braided, nylon, or plain leather). All sexes shall be judged in one class.Horses shall walk to the judge one at a time then trot straight to a cone. At the cone, the horse will continue trotting, turn to the left and trot toward the left wall or fence of the arena. After trotting, horses will be lined up head to tail for individual inspection by the judge. The judge shall inspect each horse from both sides, front and rear.

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Team Sorting Rules and Guidelines

Abuse of cattle or horses will be cause for disqualification for the run without refund of entry fees.
Limit of 3 goes per person in each division, teams mush change at least one partner.
It is the responsibility of the contestant to know how many times he or she is entered in each division. If any contestant enters more times than the rules allow, and sorts, then the contestant and all teams that the contestant has ridden with will be disqualifed and will forfeit all entry money and winnings. Teams that the contestant has not ridden with will be allowed to change the disqualifed partner.
If the same team sorts more than once in the same division on the same day, they will be disqualified and forfeit all entry fees and winnings.
Starting number for each team will be drawn when the team is in the arena.
There will be 10 cattle in the end of the arena marked with a visible numbers from 0-9.
If one cow has a number that is faulty or missing, that cow can be used provided that the faulty cow is identified by the announcer over the PA system. If more than one cow has a number that faulty or missing, then the faulty cows will be replaced.
Cattle will be settled after each run to the satisfaction of the next team.
Once committed to the cattle by crossing the foul line, the team is responsible for the cattle. It is the responsibility of the team, before working the cattle, to pull up can call for the arena director, if, in their opinion, there is an injured animal in the herd. Once the cattle are worked, no excuses are accepted.
You are to start with the starting number and continue in numerical order. For example, your number is 6, you must first sort our number 6; then 7, 8, 9, 0, 1, etc.
Cattle are considered "sorted" when the front leg crosses the foul line.
If any cattle cross the foul line out of sequence, the team shall be judged "no time".
If any cattle already sorted come back across the foul line, the team shall be judged "no time".
Teams will continue to sort until all cattle are sorted or until you are out of time.
There is a two minute time limit, and teams will receive a 30 second warning.
Teams shall stop sorting if judged a "no time".
Teams are judged on the number of cattle sorted, not on the time it took to sort them. If ten cattle are sorted, then time will become the determining factor. The clock will be stopped when the last cow crosses the foul line.
It is permissive to stop sorting anytime and hold cattle already sorted until the clock runs out.
Cattle sorted in 3 go's beats cattle sorted in 2 go's, cattle sorted in 2 go's beats cattle sorted in 1 go. For example, if a team sorting is designated as 2 go rounds, the team that sucessfully sort cattle in both go's beat any team that only successfully sorted cattle in one go, when determining the average (8 head sorted on two go's, for example 6 the first go and 2 the second go, beats a team that sorted 9 in one go.)
Hazing of cattle with hats, romal, or ropes will be caused for disqualification with no refund of entry fees. Slapping hand to leg or romal to leg is permitted.
Appeals of decision of the flagger, if allowed, must be made before leaving the arena.
In case of a "down cow", any team member can stop the clock by raising their hand. In the event of a cow is down, the arena director has the sole discretion of the resolution regarding this matter.
"Running down" of escaped cattle will be caused for disqualification. "Running down of escaped cattle" shall be defined as the chasing of an animal down the arena at high speed.

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Ross Arena Fun Day

This is a great day for the whole family and for riders of every experience level. The day's schedule of events is still to be determined, but many of the events that we have done in the past are listed below:

Halter Classes, Under Saddle Pleasure Classes, Egg & Spoon, Flag in Sand Race, Pole Bending, Barrel Racing, Catalog Race, Ride A Buck, Plug Race, Keyhole Race, Western Pleasure, Trail Course, Reining Class, Working Cow Horse, and much more possibilities.

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Ranch Sorting

This event is designed to challenge the skill of the horse and rider to perform the duties of a cowboy or cowgirl in the setting of an actual cattle pen or ranch. The event requires a team of 3 riders to divide designated cattle from a larger group without scattering the heard, then moving to separate cattle (4 to 6 head) through a course and finishing in a remote pen. This event has a time limit and will be judged on the ability of the team to complete all the aspects of the event.

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Pole Bending

Pole Bending is a timed event that features a horse and one mounted rider, running a weaving or serpentine path around six poles arranged in a line. This event is usually seen in high school rodeos as well as American Quarter Horse Association Paint and Appaloosa sanctioned shows as well as at many gymkhana or O-Mok-See events.
The rider will take up a gallop and run past all the poles turning at the last pole. The rider and horse will make a serpentine path through the poles, that is, passing on alternating hands and leads through the poles. When the last pole is reached, the horse and rider continue in a mirror pattern through the poles back to the first one. When the pattern is completed the horse and rider gallop back past the poles and through the timer. If the rider knocks over a pole, he or she will be penalized just like in barrels, with a five second penalty.

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Barrel Racing

Barrel Racing, is a rodeo event that features a horse and one rider, running a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels in a triangular arrangement. The rider may decide on taking either the left or right barrel first, though it is often determined by the lead that the horse does best.
The best barrel racers pocket the barrels as they come around them. Pocketing is defined as leaving a 3-6 foot gap between the horse and barrel. The distance between the barrel and barrel horse varies from rider to rider, the gap tending to be narrower with higher level barrel racers.
The cowgirl or cowboy will take a running start from his/her horse and ride towards the first barrel. At the first barrel, a rider should come to a slight angle. It's much harder on the horse if you come at the barrel straight on. They must make a complete turn around the barrel then race toward the second barrel. At the second barrel, they will again make a complete turn, which means they will make a turn in the opposite direction as the first barrel then race toward the third barrel. At the third barrel they will again make a complete loop in the same direction as the second barrel and then run back across the starting line which is also the finish line.
The racer may go to the right barrel first and turn it to the right and the second and third barrel to the left, or he/she can choose to go to the left barrel first in the triangular shaped pattern and turn it to the left and the other two to the right. The choice of which barrel to go to first is usually made by the racer based on the specific abilities of his/her horse and if they turn better to the right or to the left. The racers will pass through and electronic timer entering and leaving the barrel pattern and the elapsed time is the time for the event. If the racer tips over a barrel, he/she will be penalized with an extra five seconds being added to the time and in this competition where thousandths is seconds make the difference between first and second place, the extra five seconds will entirely take the racer out of the competition.
Sincegoing wide around the barrel is slower, a delicate balance between speed and control must be made to achieve the fastest times. The standard barrel racing pattern looks like an isosceles triangle with a base of 90 feet and sides of 105 feet. The distance from the first barrel to the time line is 60 feet. [National Barrel Horse Association NMHA]