Dave
Well-known member
Been working too much for retired people so we took a rode trip. Down to Jordan Valley for the big loop. It is a rodeo/roping. The big loop portion they literally measure the loop. It is an old time wild west sort of deal. If you have never been to Jordan Valley it is a tiny wide spot in the middle big ranch country in the high desert. highway 95 runs through town going north and south but it is up to 100 miles in other directions to a paved road. The population makes a huge increase one weekend out of the year.
Well we went. The loop has to be 20 feet when you ride into the box. Ride in with a smaller loop and you get flagged out immediately. There was a judge out there before you went into the box. He was looking at the ropes. Friday is just slack. Barrel racing, team roping (muleys), big loop horse roping, and break away. They head and front foot the horses. No going to the horn on the front foot. Just catch and hold your slack. There had to be 30 teams in the big loop. Only 4 or 5 times. The last couple years it was won with a 20 second and change time. The first time this year was 19.62. The announcer was like that will probably hold to win. The very next team was 18.44.
One thing I looked for was rubber wrapped saddle horns. I didn't see a single one. All the mule hide. They didn't take a single dally like you do with rubber. It is 2 or 3 wraps to get dallied off. The vast majority of the ranchers and cowboys here use 50 or 60 foot ropes. And certainly that was what they used in the big loop.
Well we went. The loop has to be 20 feet when you ride into the box. Ride in with a smaller loop and you get flagged out immediately. There was a judge out there before you went into the box. He was looking at the ropes. Friday is just slack. Barrel racing, team roping (muleys), big loop horse roping, and break away. They head and front foot the horses. No going to the horn on the front foot. Just catch and hold your slack. There had to be 30 teams in the big loop. Only 4 or 5 times. The last couple years it was won with a 20 second and change time. The first time this year was 19.62. The announcer was like that will probably hold to win. The very next team was 18.44.
One thing I looked for was rubber wrapped saddle horns. I didn't see a single one. All the mule hide. They didn't take a single dally like you do with rubber. It is 2 or 3 wraps to get dallied off. The vast majority of the ranchers and cowboys here use 50 or 60 foot ropes. And certainly that was what they used in the big loop.
