Team roping

"Roping" redirects here. For the tornado phenomenon, see Tornado § Size_and_shape.

Team roping consists of two ropers; here, the header has roped the steer and is setting up to allow the heeler to rope the back legs of the steer.

Team roping, also known as heading and heeling, is a rodeo event that features a steer (typically a Corriente) and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header", the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns. It is also legal for the rope to go around the neck, or around one horn and the nose, resulting in a catch known as a "half- headed". Once the steer is caught by one of the three legal head catches, the header must dally (wrap the rope around the rubber-covered saddle horn) and use their horse to turn the steer to the left.

The second roper is the "heeler", who ropes the steer by its hind feet after the "header" has turned the steer. A five-second penalty is added to the final time if only one leg is caught. Team roping is the only rodeo event where men and women may compete together and equally in professionally sanctioned competition, in both single-gender or mixed-gender teams.