Thursday Night Team Sorting @ Sugar Tree Ranch

Thursday I found myself with the day off due to the State computers being down. I decided to head up to Sugar Tree Ranch to check out the Team Sorting. It’s still early in the season so there were only a few in attendance, but it’s almost more fun that way. The cows have not figured out the game yet so its pretty tough. As the summer progresses the cows learn this game to some extent, making it a little easier, but cows are stupid so they don’t ever learn it well. LOL

For those of you who don’t know what “Team Sorting” is, its a game played with young cows and horses. You are in a double pen with an opening in the center. There are 10-numbered cows, 2- without numbers and a team of 2-riders. The object of the game is to chase the cows from one pen to the other in numbered order leaving the 2- unnumbered cows in the first pen. The games starts with the announcer calling out the first number, then 1-rider tries to peel that numbered cow from the group of cows and pushes them through to the other pen, while the other rider tries to keep all other cows from going through. Usually, the riders alternate, one chasing and one guarding the gate. The team with all 10-cows moved from one pen to the other in numbered order without allowing any through out-of-order or allowing the unnumbered cows through in the shortest time…wins.

I have seen this games played by experts and novice alike. No matter the skill of the rider or horse, it is a fun time for all.