PENNING/SORTING

Ranch Sorting and its sister discipline, Team Penning, are western-style equestrian sports that evolved from the common ranch work of separating cattle into pens for branding, doctoring, or transport.

Ranch Sorting is an event that pits a team of two riders on horseback against the clock. Teamwork is the key with both riders working in harmony to cut out the correct cattle and drive them to the pen while keeping the wrong numbered cattle back. There are several variations of ranch sorting with one, two or three riders on the team, but all require sorting the cattle from one pen to the other in the correct order.

Team Penning is a fast-paced event that gives a team of three riders on horseback from 60 to 90 seconds to separate three specifically identified cattle from a herd of 30, and put them into a 16' x 24' pen through a 10' opening, at the opposite end of the arena. Teamwork is the key with all three riders working in harmony to cut out the correct cattle and drive them to the pen while keeping the rest of the herd (sometimes called trash or dirty cattle) back.

SORTING schedule is as follows (weather permitting):

Wednesdays 6-8pm

Saturday 3-6pm

The Club charges a $25.00 cattle use fee.

PENNING schedule is as follows:

Wednesday 7:00pm

Saturday 4:00pm.

Penning at the Empty Saddle Club is practice penning, so beginners are welcome.

The Club charges a $25.00 cattle use fee.

For more information e-mail - Kevin Fitzpatrick -  kevinfitzy@yahoo.com