A roping run is like building blocks. You have to start with step one and go from there. You also need to take it one step at a time. When you get ahead of yourself and try to do steps out of order is when mistakes happen, like missing your slack, missing your dally or slipping a leg. If you do each step right, one step leads to another and the outcome is a successful run.

Step one is your position, from hazing the steer going down the arena to your distance around the corner and all the way into your delivery. You set the run up for your header by hazing the steer, you keep your distance around the corner so you don’t get trapped on the inside and forced to take a bad shot, and you maintain your position until you deliver so there’s not too much separation between you and the steer before you deliver your loop.


Step two is your loop. I believe it’s very important to ride your horse all the way into your delivery, because anytime your horse quits before your delivery it takes away from your loop. If your horse is moving all the way to your delivery, it gives you more room to place your loop on the ground and cover more area on the steer with your loop.


Building block three is getting your slack. If you ride that position and place your loop with that much area covered on the steer, it also gives you more time to get your slack than if your horse stops on the corner and makes you reach. When your horse beats you, it takes your slack from you, which makes it a lot harder to get your slack and dally. (Nick Sartain heading.)

Step four is the dally. After building block three and having more time with your slack, you’ll also have more time for your dally, and your horse will have more time to set himself up to take the hit from the steer.


I think it’s very important to give your horse time to set himself up to take the jerk, because it gives him more confidence in a run. It’s going to keep your horse working better. And other than your rope, your horse is the most important tool of your run. Keeping your horse’s confidence in you and himself just helps you.

By following these steps, we prevent accidents and have a lot more success. Accidents and failures happen when we don’t do these steps in order or try to cut corners and get in a hurry. All these steps can be done very quickly, we just have to learn to follow each step one at a time. No matter how fast you’re trying to be in a run, you have to follow these steps in order. Following them will make your run faster.