LCRA RULES, REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES

Pertaining to rodeos

This rule book is intended to establish uniform regulations and procedures to qualify participants for awards in the Lil’ Cowpoke Rodeo Association.  The rules and regulations contained herein take precedence over any other rules concerning conduct of the rodeo and participation herein.  These rules and regulations will be the standing rules for the year 2008.

Divisions:

Lil’ Cowpoke:  2 to 5

Cowpoke:  6 to 9

Wrangler: 10 to 13

Cowboy:  14 - 17

The contestant’s age is as of  January 1, 2008 for the 08 rodeo year.  If there is a birthday during the circuit, you will remain in the age group in which you started.

Entry Fees:

Contestants may pay entry fees in cash or check.  If a contestant’s check is returned for insufficient funds, they will not be allowed to enter future rodeos until it has been redeemed in CASH and from then on, only cash will be accepted.  If you pull out of a class once it has started for any reason, you WILL NOT BE GIVEN A REFUND.

There will be a fine (cost of missed entry fees) for no shows that call in without calling out.  A 24 hr. notice is required to call out of a rodeo.  If after 2 missed rodeos you and you call in for the 3rd, you will be required to pay the 2nd missed rodeos entry fees before or along with the present rodeo you are calling in for.
The entry fees are as follows:

Lil’ Cowpoke:  $4.00

Cowpoke: $5.00

Wrangler:  $5.00

Cowboy:  $5.00

Entries:

No one will be allowed to change or add to a class once it has started.  All entries requiring stock shall be closed after call-in.  Add-on’s shall only be considered, if time allows, in non-stock events (i.e. barrels, poles, stake race, etc.)  It is the contestants’ responsibility to check show entries to assure they are correctly filled out, especially the names of and the numbers of the classes entered. 

Horses:

Current negative coggins papers must be presented with the horse at each rodeo before the horse will be allowed to compete or enter the show grounds.  The State can and will be present at all rodeos.  Horse’s name on the papers, registration paper, and entry forms must be the same.  Coggins must be original or notarized photocopies.  No stallions shall be ridden by an under age contestant.

Calls:

The P.A. system is used to help the rodeo move as smoothly as possible; it is a courtesy.  It is the responsibility of the contestant to know when they are required to be in the arena.  Three calls is the limit, after that you will be DISQUALIFIED.

CONTESTANT RULES, REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES

1.                  These rules and regulations take precedence over any other rules concerning conduct of the rodeo and participation therein.

2.                  The judge’s and event director‘s decision shall be final and may not be protested.

3.                  The rodeo will be held on the date advertised unless inclement weather causes conditions and facilities to be held unsafe.  The judge’s and event director’s reserve the right to cancel or postpone an event due to weather, accident or other emergency.  In the case an event is stopped while in progress due to the above the following procedure should be followed:

The event shall continue from the point of which it was stopped, unless the event is rescheduled to another day.  In this case, it will be started from the beginning with no consideration given to the performance during the original session.

4.                  Event directors reserve the right to alter or modify any class procedure,              obstacles, pattern or the rules in this book for safety concerns, rodeo facility           restrictions or other mitigating circumstances.

5.                  Event directors reserve the right to refuse an exhibitor entry into any event if they deem that entry unsafe for the exhibitor and/or other exhibitors or animals.  With the exhibitor’s safety in mind, any activity or situation deemed unsafe can and will be stopped by the event directors.

6.                  When an exhibitor or another person on behalf of an exhibitor is guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct or misbehaving while on the rodeo grounds, rodeo directors may suspend such exhibitor’s right to participate in future events and/or rodeos deemed appropriate.  DEFINITION:  Sportsmanship - The qualities and conduct befitting a sportsman.  (One who abides by the rules and accepts victory or defeat graciously.)

7.                  Striking the horse in front of the cinch with anything other than the open hand is a disqualification.  Striking the horse with anything, including the hand, in front of the throatlatch is a disqualification.

8.                  The judge or designated rodeo official have the authority to require the removal or alteration of any piece of equipment which, in his/her opinion is unsafe or is deemed inhumane.

9.                  An official of the rodeo may check said equipment prior to the competitor entering the arena and may require the removal of such equipment.

10.              If an electric timer is not available, 2 stop watches and a flag will be used to determine a time.

11.              No re-run will be given to any contestant if handicapped by failure of personal equipment or accident to the horse or rider.

12.              In timed events, horses will be started and stopped inside the arena or alleyway.  The gate to the arena will not be opened until the horse is stopped and under control.  The horse MUST BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE RIDER UPON ENTRANCE OF THE ARENA EXITING THE ALLEYWAY. NO RUNNING THRU THE GATE.

13.              Anyone found drinking alcoholic beverages at any rodeo will be asked to leave, will receive no refund, and will not be allowed to come back.  Any contestant found cheating will lose all points and may be asked to leave, again resulting in forfeiting of entry fees.

14.              Any question or dispute that may arise during the rodeo not covered in this book or disputed interpretations of rules will be settled by the rodeo directors ONLY, whose decision will be FINAL.  Any & all disputes must be submitted in WRITING to the rodeo secretary with (3) calendar days of said dispute.  Once submitted in writing a special meeting will be held to address said issue.

Points

Points are awarded to the top 10 places in each event.  Each contestant will receive a ribbon for places 1- 6 in each class and at each rodeo. Points will be posted to the rodeo website within 1 week after the rodeo.

A running points total will be kept and available for viewing all season by the rodeo directors.  If a problem arises and you feel your points are not calculated correctly, please contact the appropriate event director and advise them of your concerns.  They will check with the secretary.  Please do not do this during the rodeo.

1^st place – 10 points

2^nd place - 9 points

3^rd place - 8 points

4^th place - 7 points

5^th place - 6; points

6^th place -   5 points

7^th place - 4 points

8^th place – 3 points

9^th place - 2 points

10^th place – 1 point

If you have any questions about any of these procedures, you may contact any of the board members listed below and we will be happy to assist you.

LCRA Board Members

GENERAL RULES

Personal:   Clothes should be neat and clean.  Western attire of jeans, boots, hat and long sleeved shirt is required.  The only exception is the Lil Cowpoke and Cowpoke divisions where a hat is not required.

Tack:   Western type saddles will be used. 

General Event Rules:

1.                  These contests are timed events.  The contestant is allowed to begin ONLY from inside of the alleyway or arena.  Time shall begin as the horse’s nose crosses the start line and will be stopped when the horse’s nose passes the finish line.  The exception is in the Lil Cowpoke events where there is no horse so the rules pertain          to the child crossing the start/stop line.

2.                  ADULTS MAY ASSIST CONTESTANT IN CONTROLLING HORSE IN ANY CLASS, BUT IF THE ADULT CROSSES THE START/STOP LINE, THE CONTESTANT RECEIVES A “NO TIME”.    

3.                  Contestant may only enter each event once.

4.                  A clearly visible start/stop line shall be provided.

5.                  Times will be announced at the completion of each contestant’s run.

6.                  If rider has failure of personal equipment or accident to horse or rider, they will not be able to rerun.

7.                  Failure to follow of complete any course is a disqualification.

8.                  All events are open to both girls and boys to determine each age groups overall “top hand” award at the end of the circuit.

Tie Breakers

Ties in a timed event will be run off.  The run off time will count only for the tie breaker placing,  In the event of a tie for the end of the year overall event winner a determined event, some obstacle course events will be used to break the tie. 

Year End Awards

You must be a member, in good standing, of the LCRA for your points to count for year end awards. 

TOP HAND AWARDS:  shall be given at the end of the circuit for the contestant with the most overall pointscombined from atleast 3 events in the wrangler/cowboy division levels for 1 girl and 1 boy.  In the event of a tie for first place, the obstacle course will break the tie.