VOLUNTEERS
Johnson County Cowgirls is produced entirely by volunteers. Please be courteous to our secretaries, timers, gate openers, chute help, flaggers, tractor driver, announcers, board members, and other helpers. Without these amazing people, this rodeo series is not possible. Please thank them for their service. Please jump in and help where you can.

GENERAL RULES
• All rules are subject to the discretion of the judges, event directors, and the board members.
• All decisions are final following the completion of each rodeo.
• Any contestant or family member/helper thought to use excessive force, abuse, or mistreatment of any animal in any event will be disqualified and his/her entries and points forfeited for that rodeo. This is to the discretion of the event directors and the board members.
• Any behavior deemed inappropriate or vulgar towards volunteers, judges, or other rodeo personnel by either a contestant or his/her parent may result in disqualification from an event or a full rodeo at the discretion of the judge or a board member.
• Rules will be available in the office and on the website for the entirety of the rodeo season.
• Contestants may not compete until they have signed the proper JCC waiver.
• All contestants must be in the arena and ready to compete within 60 seconds of the announcer’s first call or they can be disqualified by the flagger.
• Peewees will be checked off as assisted or non-assisted by timers or directors. Assisted will not place higher than non-assisted unless there is a no-time or disqualification.

MEMBERSHIP
• Johnson County Cowgirls is open to women of all ages and boys ages 0-16 as of January 1 of the competition year.
AGE DIVISIONS
• Ages are determined as of January 1 of the current rodeo year:
• Divisions are as follows:
• Assisted Peewee 0-6
• Peewee 0-6
• Junior 7-10
• Senior 11-14
• Open 15 and up.
• If a child wants to enter an age division above his or her age, he/she would need to enter that age division in all events and remain in that age division for the season (with the exception of entering the Open division).

• A child may compete in both a youth division and the Open division for the barrels, poles, and goats. She/he may compete on the same horse.

ENTRY FEES
• All entry fees must be paid before competing.
• Fees cannot be paid with a JCC winnings check.
• Fees may be paid:
    • By cash or check at the Office the night of the rodeo during office hours
    • By credit card online. No credit cards will be taken the night of.

PAYOUTS
• Pay off will be made according to the number of contestants participating in the event to ensure that all pay off checks are more than the entry fee for that event.
• Checks will be made available for pick up in the office at the following rodeo and at the year-end banquet. If a contestant will not be attending one of these events, she/he must make arrangements with JCC for pick-up or mailing of checks.
• Please deposit or cash checks within 30 days of receiving them.
• In all roping events, no go round money will be paid if there are no legal timed runs.

Open Barrel Racing Payout will be:
• 1-D = 30%
• 2-D = 27%
• 3-D = 23%
• 4-D 20%
• Open Pole Bending Payout will be:
• 1-D = 60%
• 2-D = 40%

POINTS & AWARDS
• There is no minimum number of rodeos that must be attended to earn points towards year end awards.
• Only contestants who have paid for their Johnson County Cowgirls membership may earn points towards year end awards.
• If a contestant purchases his/her membership after the JCC season has started, she/he will only accumulate points towards year end awards from the time that the membership was purchased.
• In each event, points will be awarded as follows:
• 1st place 6 points
• 2nd place 5 points
• 3rd place 4 points
• 4th place 3 points
• 5th place 2 points
• 6th place 1 point
• Year-end awards will be given to first, second, third, and fourth place in each event. This is subject to change based on the board’s discretion.
• All Around and Reserve All Around Awards: A sum of points earned in each age division will be used to calculate the All Around and Reserve All Around winners in Pee Wee, Junior, Senior, and Open categories.
• Open points do not count towards the Peewee, Junior, or Senior All-Around awards nor towards the Peewee, Junior, or Senior year end awards in that event.
• A contestant may compete on more than one horse in the Open Barrel Race, Open Pole Bending, and Open Calf Breakaway. Points will be kept for the rider/horse combination. Year-end awards will be tallied and awarded based on the points for each individual rider/horse combination. If a contestant is competing on more than one horse in these events and the contestant fails to list his/her horses’ names on his/her entry, points will not be awarded to that rider/horse combination. • If a rider places on more than one horse in the Open Barrel Race, Open Pole Bending, or Open Calf Breakaway, the highest placing points earned for that event will be applied towards the All-Around awards. (For example, if a rider wins first and third in one of these events, only the six points for first place will move towards the All-Around – not a total of ten points.)
• In the Senior Goat Tying, points will be kept separately for girls and boys. Prizes will be awarded based on the points earned for both the Sr Girls Goat Tying and the Sr Boys Goat Tying.
• Juniors will be allowed to rope in the Senior Steer Breakaway Roping. If a Junior contestant competes in the Senior Steer Breakaway points earned in the Senior Steer Breakaway may count towards the Junior All-Around awards and the Senior Steer Breakaway year end awards.
• When calf roping is offered, points will not contribute to the All Around or High Point Roper awards.
• The Butch Johnson Memorial High Point Senior Roper Award is given to the Senior contestant who accrues the most collective points in the Senior Steer Breakaway, Senior Calf Breakaway, Steer Stopping, and Team Roping.

EXHIBITIONS
• All exhibition barrel and pole runs will be held between 5:00pm and 6:00pm only.
• Entries for exhibitions will be at the arena gate.
• Each exhibition run will be $5 to be paid at the gate and not the office.
• Times will be announced.
• Run or trot in continuous forward motion throughout exhibition run.
• No circling barrels more than once.
• No money or points will be awarded in the exhibition barrels.

BARREL RACING
• A cloverleaf pattern will be run either to the right or left barrel first.
• Time will be flagged when the nose of the horse crosses the score line on the start and finish of every run.
• Runs will be timed with an electric eye timer. Back-up stop watches will be used along with a flagger or a second eye. A minimum of one back-up stopwatch will be required.
• Any broken pattern will be a no time, including crossing the score line and breaking the eye beam.
• No reruns will be allowed due to the contestant’s faulty or broken equipment.
• Gate will be closed after the barrel racer enters the arena and will remain closed until the pattern is completed and contestant’s horse is under control.
• The barrel pattern will be raked after every 7 runs or at the discretion of the board members. Peewees and Assisted Peewees will not be raked.
• All contestants must enter through the same designated gate.
• Contestants will have 1 minute after the announcer’s first call.
• Open 4-D Barrel Racing
• Divisions will be:
• 1-D = fastest legal timed run
• 2-D = ½ second from fastest time run
• 3-D = 1 second from fastest time run
• 4-D = 1.5 seconds from the fasted time run
• A horse may only be run once per rodeo in the open 4-D barrels.
• All contestants may circle only once before starting pattern.
• A knocked over barrel will result in a no-time, but the time will be announced.
• Contestants may enter up to 3 different horses.
• Senior, Junior, Peewee and Assisted Peewee Barrel Racing
• The Junior and Senior barrels will be placed on the same stakes as the Open 3-D Barrels. The Peewee and Assisted Peewee barrels may be rolled into a smaller pattern at the discretion of the board members and judges.
• A 5 second penalty will be assessed for each knocked over barrel.
• Contestant may not enter outside his/her age division except to enter in an open event.
• Contestant may enter his/her age division only once per event.
• Rolled Times
• Youth contestants may roll her/his time to the Open division for barrels. The contestant must notify the office personnel of her/his intent to roll at the time entry fees are paid. Entry fees must be paid for both divisions entered.
• Run to be rolled must be made in event rolling from (Junior to Open, Senior to Open, Peewee to Open).
• A knocked barrel in the youth divisions will roll over to the Open divisions as a “no time” as is consistent with the Open division rules.

POLE BENDING
• The pole pattern will consist of 6 poles placed 21 feet apart. The score/start line will be 21 feet from the first pole. Poles must be in a straight line for each run.
• Runs will be timed with an electric eye timer. Back-up stop watches will be used along with flagger. A minimum of one back-up stopwatch will be required.
• The time will be flagged when the nose of the horse crosses the score line on the start and finish of every run.
• Pattern may be run on the right or left side in the standard weave pattern.
• Any broken pattern will be a no time including crossing the score line and breaking the eye beam.
• No reruns will be allowed due to the contestant’s faulty or broken equipment.
• Touching of poles is permitted by horse and contestant.
• The judge will flag the time, then flag contestant out if the run is not legal.
• Gate will be closed after the pole bender enters the arena or track and will remain closed until the pattern is completed and contestant’s horse is under control.
• All contestants must enter through the same designated gate.
• Pole pattern will be raked after every 7 runs or at the discretion of the board members. Peewees and Assisted Peewees will not be raked.
• Open 2-D Poles
• A horse may only be run once per rodeo in the open 2-D Poles.
• Divisions will be:
• 1-D = fastest legal timed run
• 2-D = 2 seconds from fastest time
• A knocked over pole will result in a no time, but the time will be announced.
• Contestants may enter up to 2 different horses.
• Senior, Junior, Peewee and Assisted Peewee Poles
• Contestant may enter his/her age division only once per event.
• Contestant may not enter outside his/her age division except to enter in an open event.
• A 5 second penalty will be assessed for each knocked over pole.
• Rolled Times
• Youth contestants may roll her/his time to the Open division for poles. The contestant must notify the office personnel of her/his intent to roll at the time entry fees are paid. Entry fees must be paid for both divisions entered.
• Run to be rolled must be made in event rolling from (Junior to Open, Senior to Open, Peewee to Open).
• A knocked pole in the youth divisions will roll over to the Open divisions as a “no time” as is consistent with the Open division rules.

GOAT TYING
• Goat will be staked 100 feet from the score/start line.
• The contestant must be mounted on a horse and be in forward motion towards goat when crossing the score line.
• Contestant must dismount horse completely. Contestant is considered mounted until both feet are on the ground.
• If the horse touches or crosses over the staked rope or goat at any time during the run, a 10 second penalty will be assessed.
• If the goat should break away at fault of the contestant or her/his horse, a no-time will be assessed. This will be at the discretion of the judge or event director.
• Time will begin when the contestant’s horse’s nose crosses the start line and will stop when the tie is released and both hands are in the air.
• The contestant must step back 3 feet from the tied goat after signaling for time and will be assessed a no-time for touching the goat or the tie after signaling for time.
• Judge will remove string.
• Horses may not be held during the run (open and senior only, judge may assist juniors if necessary).
• The judge will flag time, and then flag contestant out if run is not legal.
• All contestants must enter and exit through the same designated gate. No exceptions. Contestant cannot use north end gate to get to south end gate to begin run.
• Open, Senior Girls and Junior Tying
• The person holding the goat will release the goat when the flag is dropped to start time.
• A goat string or leather thong may be used for securing animals.
• The goat must be standing and daylighted or thrown by contestant so that all four feet are elevated off the ground. The contestant must then cross and tie any three legs together and signal for time.
• If the goat is down when the contestant reaches it, the contestant must stand and daylight the goat before tying.
• The goat’s legs must remain crossed in a 3-bone cross and tied for 6 seconds after completion of tie.
• A tie is qualified by one or more wraps and a half-hitch, hooey, or knot.
• Contestant may enter his/her age division only once per event.
• Contestant may not enter outside his/her age division except to enter in an open event.
• Senior Boy’s Goat Tying
• The person holding the goat will release the goat when the flag is dropped to start time.
• Boys must use a pigging string.
• The goat must be standing and daylighted or thrown by contestant so that all four feet are elevated off the ground. The contestant must then cross and tie any three legs together and signal for time.
• If the goat is down when the contestant reaches it, the contestant must stand and daylight the goat before tying.
• To qualify as a legal tie, the contestant must string a leg, and then tie any three legs together using one or more wraps and a half-hitch or hooey.
• The goat’s legs must remain crossed in a 3-bone cross and tied for 6 seconds after completion of tie.
• Contestant may enter his age division only once per event.
• Contestant may not enter outside his age division except to enter in an open event.

GROUND EVENTS
• Peewee Goat Tail Tying
• The contestant will tie a string or ribbon to the goat’s tail.
• No horse will be used. Tying will be done on foot.
• Contestant will run from a designated start line.
• Time will begin when the contestant crosses the start line and will stop when the tie is released and both hands are in the air.
• String will be provided, or the contestant may use his/her own string at the discretion of the judge or event director.
• Strings may not be crossed or tied in anyway at the start of the run, and it may be held in the teeth.
• Dummy Roping
• A steer head dummy will be used at each rodeo.
• Three legal head catches are allowed:
• both horns
• ½ head
• neck.
• Illegal head catches result in a no-time.
• Time will begin when the contestant steps over the designated start line and stop when the contestant pulls his/her slack after roping the dummy head.
• There will be a second line near the dummy that the contestant may not cross when swinging or throwing the rope.
• At the judge’s discretion, a 2 x 4 board may be placed on edge and used as the second line; if the board is knocked over or moved, the contestant receives a no-time.
• Peewee Dummy Roping
• Contestants have a 60 second time limit and unlimited loops to catch the dummy, however she/he must swing at least once in a full rotation around her/his head before throwing.
• Peewee contestants may have assistance in rebuilding loops, but if assistance is given, they will be marked as assisted.
• Assisted contestants may not place above unassisted contestants for points and pay out unless there are no qualified times by unassisted contestants.
• Junior Dummy Roping
• The contestant may swing as many times as she/he would like but must swing at least once in a full rotation around her/his head.
• The roper may not rebuild after releasing his/her rope.
• Juniors may substitute the Sr. Steer Breakaway for Junior Dummy Roping. If a Junior competes in the Sr. Steer Breakaway, she or he may carry those points towards the Junior All-Around award and the Sr. Steer Breakaway awards.
• Contestant may enter the dummy roping once.
• Contestants who enter the Senior/Open Steer Breakaway or Senior/Open Calf Breakaway may not compete in dummy roping.

BREAKAWAY ROPING
• Open and Senior Calf Breakaway
• A barrier will be used if available. If no barrier is available, a barrel will be used, and the contestant’s rope may not touch the calf until the calf’s nose has cleared the barrel.
• A 10 second penalty will be assessed for breaking the barrier or the rope touching the calf prior to clearing the barrel.
• Contestant must come out of the heeler’s (right) box.
• The event director will provide string.
• Contestant must have his/her rope secured tightly to the saddle horn using approved string. Ropes may be checked by the event director or board member at any time.
• Ropes must have a flag or ribbon tied at the end.
• The cattle will be chute run.
• Time starts when the barrier pulls. If no barrier is available, time will start when the chute opens.
• The calf’s head must pass through the loop. The loop may draw tight and breakaway from any part of the calf’s body after passing over the head.
• The flag is dropped, and time ends when the rope is pulled away from the saddle horn by the calf.
• A 30-second time limit will apply. Only one loop will be allowed.
• A no-time will be assessed for rope breaking away before passing over calf’s head or if contestant pulls rope from saddle horn and breaks string before calf hits the end of the rope.
• If the contestant’s rope becomes looped around the saddle horn before breaking away, he/she may ride up slack in the rope and un-loop it, allowing the calf to break the string by taking slack out of the rope.
• There will be an open catch pen.
• Contestants who are not up are allowed in the arena, but they will be asked to stay behind the liners or barrel.
• There will be 3 liners in the arena at all times.
• Contestants may enter the Senior Calf Breakaway only once. Contestants may enter the Open Calf Breakaway more than once on separate horses.
• Open and Senior Steer Breakaway
• A barrel will be used for the barrier. The contestant’s rope may not touch the steer until the steer’s nose has cleared the barrel. A 10 second penalty will be assessed for violation of this rule.
• Contestant may come out of either roping box.
• The event director will provide string.
• The contestant must have his/her rope secured tightly to the saddle horn using approved string. Ropes may be checked by the event director or board member at any time.
• Ropes must have a highly visible flag or ribbon tied at the end.
• Time starts when the chute opens.
• Three legal head catches allowed: both horns, ½ head, neck. Illegal head catches result in a no-time.
• Flag is dropped and time ends when the rope is pulled away from the saddle horn by the steer.
• A 30 second time limit will apply, and only one loop will be allowed.
• A no-time will be assessed for the rope breaking away before steer is roped or if contestant pulls rope from saddle horn and breaks string before steer hits the end of the rope.
• If the contestant’s rope becomes looped around the saddle horn before breaking away, he/she may ride up slack in the rope and un-loop it, allowing the steer to break string by taking slack out of rope.
• There will be an open catch pen.
• Contestants who are not up are allowed in the arena, but they will be asked to stay behind the liners or barrel.
• There will be 3 liners behind the barrel at all times.
• Contestant may enter his/her age division only once per event.
• Contestant may not enter outside his/her age division except to enter in an open event. The exception to this is that Juniors may enter the Senior Steer
Breakaway. Juniors may enter either the dummy roping or the Sr. Steer Breakaway but not both events.

OPEN STEER STOPPING
• A barrel will be used for the barrier. The contestant’s rope may not touch the steer until the steer’s nose has cleared the barrel. A 10 second penalty will be assessed for violation of this rule.
• The contestant must come out of the header’s (left) box.
• Time starts when the chute opens and stops when the steer is stopped and facing the horse. Both animals must have all feet on the ground.
• Steer must be caught around the horns. All other head catches are illegal and will result in a no-time.
• A 30-second time limit will apply. Only one loop will be allowed.
• There will be an open catch pen.
• Contestants who are not up are allowed in the arena, but they will be asked to stay behind the liners or barrel.
• There will be 3 liners behind the barrel at all times.

WOMEN’S DALLY TEAM ROPING
• Team may consist of 2 woman of any age or a woman of any age and a man 16 years old and under.
• Roping will be a one-header but may be entered three times..
• A barrier will be used if available. If no barrier is available, a barrel will be used, and the contestant’s rope may not touch the steer until the steer’s nose has cleared the barrel. A 10 second penalty will be assessed for breaking the barrier or the rope touching the steer prior to clearing the barrel.
• Header must come out of heading (left) box and heeler must come out of heeling (right) box.
• Three legal head catches allowed:
   • both horns (not figure eighted)
   • half- head
   • neck
• Illegal head catches result in a no-time.
• Heeler must catch hind legs only. If a header catches a front leg, it will result in immediate disqualification.
• A 5 second penalty will be assessed if only one of the hind legs is caught.
• A team is allowed only 2 loops.
• The flag is dropped, and time stops when both ropers are dallied, facing the steer, and the ropes are tight.
• There will be an open catch pen.
• Contestants who are not up are allowed in the arena, but they will be asked to stay behind the liners or barrel.
• Steer belongs to contestant when he/she calls for it with only the following exceptions:
• If the steer gets out of the arena, the flag will be dropped, and the roper may rerun a second animal lap and tap with the time added when the steer left the arena plus any barrier penalties.
• Mechanical failure.
• Heelers may tie on.

CALF ROPING
• This event is open to Senior and Open contestants.
• Will be offered at the discretion of the board of directors.
• A barrier will be used if available. If no barrier is available, a barrel will be used, and the contestant’s rope may not touch the calf until the calf’s nose has cleared the barrel.
• A 10 second penalty will be assessed for breaking the barrier or the rope touching the calf prior to clearing the barrel.
• Contestants must come out of the heeler’s (right) box.
• If the barrier equipment hangs on the animal and contestant tries the animal, he accepts the animal. If the contestant pulls up, he will receive another animal or the same animal (at judge’s discretion).
• A contestant’s rope cannot be fouled by the pull rope.
• Time will begin when the barrier breaks across the box and will end when the field judge drops the flag after the animal is tied.
• There will be an open catch pen.
• A neck rope must be used.
• The contestant must rope the calf, dismount, go down the rope and throw the calf by hand. He/she must cross and tie at least three legs.
• Any catch is legal (catch as catch can rule).
• Rope must hold the calf until the roper gets his/her hand on the calf.
• If the calf is down when roper reaches it, calf must be stood on at least three feet and rethrown.
• A legal tie includes at least one complete wrap around at least three legs, and a half hitch or hooey.
• The tie must hold at least six seconds with the three legs remaining crossed until passed on by the judge.
• The six second time will start when the roper has remounted and there is slack provided in the rope.
• Rope will not be removed, and rope will remain slack until the field judge has passed on the tie.
• Excessive or intentional dragging of the calf can result in a no time.
• Judges may look to the NHSRA rule book for direction if rules or situations are not declared herein.