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Posted:
Wednesday, March 6, 2002
Calf roping slide show
By John Brasseaux
For sheer actions and speed, nothing matches calf roping. And in Texas, the calf roping capital of America, there are plenty of opportunities to see the best the sport has to offer.
The roots of calf roping run deep. It was one of the two original rodeo events, the other being saddle bronc riding. Granted, riding a wildly bucking horse may be more glamorous, but it didn't make for a long career. Calf roping was something that was more a part of everyday ranch life and something hands of all ages could appreciate, as they would have done of for years. There's subtlety in the stages of chasing, roping, dismounting and tying that's sometimes lacking in hell-bent-for leather activities like bronc riding.
Because calf roping is a timed event and features livestock running at full speed, plenty of the action can be missed, simply because the eye can't keep up with the motion. But, freezing fast motion is where photography shines. Operating at shutter speeds of 2000th of a second and higher, the camera has the ability to stop action that the eye is incapable of doing.
In this slide show, shots of calf roping action from various events over the last two years are featured. Some are photos of seasoned pros, others are of high school ropers, while others are of women ropers, participating in breakaway roping. Breakaway is calf roping without the dismounting and tying. The rope is tied to the horn with a short length of string, which breaks when the rope goes tight. The clock is stopped with the rope breaks away.
See the Calf Roping slide show!
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