Big Tex Classic Ranch Sorting
Hundreds of teams, consisting of horses and riders, gathered at the State Fair of
Texas® to compete in the Big Tex Classic Ranch Sorting event that lasted for three
days.
“Sorting is all about the adrenaline rush. It’s fun.” Said Blake Wright, from Royce
City, TX. Wright was a competitor in the Big Tex Classic Ranch Sorting.
In the sport of ranch sorting, riders compete at different levels. There are nine
levels, with one being beginners and nine being the elites within the industry. Each
level is a rating that is given to the rider.
The event takes place with two riders on horseback and eleven cattle in a pen. The
cattle are numbered one through nine with a zero representing ten. There is also a
trash cow that is a distractor and doesn’t have a number.
When the riders enter the arena a number is called aloud and that is the first calf
they have to sort out. After that they follow in sequential order. It’s up to one team
member to sort the cattle and another to guard the gate.
The teams get sixty seconds to sort all ten cattle out and will be disqualified if a calf
crosses the gate out of order.
The dress code consists of a long sleeve button down on the rider and split reins on
the horse. Cowboy hats are optional.
Tommy Roberson is the superintendent for the sorting events at the State Fair of
Texas this year. Tommy is rated a nine himself and is happy how this year turned
out.
Typically the event is held after the fair and this year the sorting is taking place
during the fair. “A bigger crowd has shown up since it is during the fair. We
appreciate that,” Roberson said, “There will be about one thousand teams in the
finals this year. It’s a growing sport.”
Roberson is a competitor and has been competing in ranch sorting events for ten
years. At 52 years old, Roberson has been riding since he was three and has been a
top competitor in the industry of team penning, cutting, and now ranch sorting.
“I train and breed horses for the event too at home in Gainesville, TX. It’s a family
event for us,” said Roberson. The family has ranch-sorting events each weekend at
their ranch. His son Travis Roberson has won world three years in a row and
continues to improve.
The sport of sorting is growing due to the atmosphere and the lower cost entry fees.
“I’ve won a couple million doing it,” said Roberson, “over a lifetime though.”
Roberson is a professional in the sport. Not everyone is at his level yet.
Christine Dias, or Rockwall, TX, competed at the State Fair of Texas. It was her first
event competing. Dias has only been sorting cattle since July of this year and ended
up taking home second place and a check for her ride.
“It’s fun. I didn’t expect to win. There were so many teams and then they called my
name for second place. I was happy,” said Dias, “I started sorting because it looked
fun and the people are so nice everywhere I go.”
There were 57 teams that competed in Dias’ beginner class. Dias took her ride on a
seven-year-old sorrel mare named, Mica. “I give a lot of credit to Mica. She is a good
horse and has taught me a lot. We work together,” said Dias of her horse Mica.
“I like sorting because it’s a strategy sport, it’s not like cutting. The horse has to
follow the calf, yes but it’s more of the rider taking control and telling the horse
which calf to sort,” said Dias.
Dias has a long way to go before she can win millions in the sport like Roberson but
she is on the right track. Dias has hopes of becoming a nine but “for right now it’s
fun and I’m learning a lot,” said Dias.
Sidebar:
Ranch Sorting National Championship (RSNC) standards are the most common and
are used on a one to nine scale when rating riders:
One rating is only for those participants who are novice riders on novice horses.
They also have never won three checks or over $500 in any sorting or other cow
horse competition.
Two rating also known as rookie rating is only for those participants that have
never been rated higher than a number one in any sorting or other cow horse
organization and is a novice rider on a novice horse. They can’t have won over
$1000 in any other sorting competition.
Novice is defined as a number three or four rating contestant that is inconsistent in
their ability to sort cattle whether it is because of their cattle reading ability and the
ability of their horse. Any new member that has won over $1000 in Ranch Sorting or
other cow horse competition will not be related below a novice.
Amateur is defined as a five or six rated contestant that is just below or just above
average in their ability to sort cattle. This is a contestant that can read cattle, is
aggressive and confident. They also ride an athletic cow horse. They make minor
mistakes every once and a while that enables them from consistently sorting.
Open rider is defined as a seven, eight, or nine contestant that excels within the
sport of Ranch Sorting. They are experience sorters that have continued to improve
and advance within the rating system. The contestant may have just entered the
sport as a professional horseman and their horse requires the skills to be an open
rider.
Seven is considered too good to ride as an Amateur, but either doesn’t have an
exceptional horse or has a slower reaction time than the best riders in the industry.
Eight is a professional ranch sorter. This contestant can travel anywhere in the
country and be competitive in the Open Ranch Sorting Divisions but does not
consistently win.
Nine is reserved for the elite within the industry. They reflect the standard of
excellence.
RSNC will use the nine rating classifications. Regardless of age, each contestant will
be assigned a classification.