Kaua‘i All Girl Rodeo Association members went back to the basics for Breakaway Roping over the weekend. World Champion cowgirls Lari Dee Guy and Jackie Hobbs were on their first visit to the Garden Island and hosted a two-day clinic
Kaua‘i All Girl Rodeo Association members went back to the basics for Breakaway Roping over the weekend.
World Champion cowgirls Lari Dee Guy and Jackie Hobbs were on their first visit to the Garden Island and hosted a two-day clinic on Breakaway Roping for KAGRA members at the Farias Cattle Company arena over the weekend.
Breakaway roping is a women’s rodeo event, said Linda Antipala, secretary for the KAGRA.
The event starts with the cowgirl on horseback in an open box next to the cattle chute. When the steer is released, the roper must throw her rope in a loop around the calf’s neck.
Once around the neck, the roper signals her horse to stop, and the rope is tied to the saddle horn with a string.
The steer continues on and when it hits the end of the rope, it is pulled taut, breaking the string.
A handkerchief, or a white piece of cloth, is attached to the end of the rope so the flagman can see the catch.
When the string breaks, the go ends and the fastest go wins.
Antipala said the clinic started with the cowgirls going through basic fundamentals of loping and swinging followed by throwing the rope at a mobile metal steer pulled by an all-terrain vehicle.
Once through the basics, cowgirls were put into the real arena using live steers in the arena runs.
Antipala said both Guy and Hobbs, based in Abilene, Texas, are well-known throughout the women’s rodeo world and hold several national championship titles.
With these skills in hand, KAGRA members are anxious to bring them to the arena when the all girl rodeo opens at the Kealia Arena on June 22.
For more information, call Antipala at 639-3091.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
