Ranch sorting

Ranch sorting and its sister discipline, team penning, are regulated by the United States Team Penning Association (USTPA), headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The USTPA was founded in 1993 in Fort Worth with the purpose of attracting more participants and educating them to the sports of Team Penning and Ranch Sorting. with a twelve to sixteen foot opening ==Levels==

Ranch Sorting contestants are rated from a #1 (Beginner) to #9 (professional) based on their ability level. Classifications of #1 are Beginners, #2 are Rookies, #3 and #4 are for participants of Novice ability, classifications of #5 and #6 for amateur participants and classifications of #7, #8 and #9 are for Open or Professional participants. ==Related equestrian sports==

There are several other equestrian sports related to ranch sorting. Team penning is similar competition except that a team of three riders on horseback have from 60 to 75 seconds to separate three cattle from a herd and put them into a single pen. Open arena ranch sorting also has three riders on horseback, but in an 'open arena' with numbered cows at the far end. As the riders cross a white line, the announcer says a number between 0 and 9. Starting with that number, riders have 75 seconds to sort the cattle, in order, over the white line. Cutting is a sport where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a calf away from a cattle herd and keep it from returning to the herd for a set period of time. In Australia, Campdrafting is an event where a rider on horseback must "cut out" one animal from the "mob" (herd) of cattle, and "camp", block and turn it at least two or three times to prove to the judge that they have the beast under control. ==See also==