by Terry Lidral
Photos by Western Living Journal Western Vistas Photographer Richard Field Levine
The rodeo sport of century roping is team roping with a hundred-year twist. To be eligible to compete in century roping the combined ages of the header and heeler must add up to at least 100 years.
“It’s called century roping because the combined age of the two team ropers have to add up to at least 100 years,” explained Caldwell Night Rodeo Board member Ryan Buhler, who along with his father, Honorary CNR Board member Lyle Buhler, started and competed in the premiere century roping event held every year in conjunction with the prestigious Caldwell Night Rodeo in Caldwell, Idaho. “That means that grandchildren or great-grandchildren might team up with their grandparent to meet the age requirement.”
To find out more about the Caldwell century roping event, click here: https://www.facebook.com/centuryroping/
The sport of team roping has been a part of organized rodeo for over a century itself. Team roping was said to be introduced as an official sport at Prescott, Arizona in 1919 using bulls and a few years later steers and occasionally range cows.
The rules of entry are very specific. The age of the ropers is calculated with both years and days. This means that someone who is 29 years and 200 days old can partner with someone who is 70 years and 165 or more days old to reach the “century” mark. Teams over the combined 100 years are good to go.
Century roping is sanctioned by the American Cowboy Team Roping Association and includes century roping in their World Cup Finals of Team Roping. Organizations such as the South Century Team Roping and Central Century Team Roping Associations promote the sport and it is popular in many parts of the Western United States.
