Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL QUESTIONS
It is the mission of RSNC to lead the industry in developing and improving the sport of ranch sorting through fair rules and ratings. Our goal is to preserve the heritage and integrity of the ranching lifestyle while providing a family-oriented, competitive riding experience at all levels.
RSNC was formally established in the Spring of 2007 by horse enthusiasts who compete and participate in different equine events, allowing them to recognize the sport's potential within the equine industry.
Our goal is for ranch sorting to become the largest equine sport membership in the nation, a mission we're championing through exposure across media platforms like Horse&Rider and Ride TV, and by producing exciting, easy-to-access, industry-best competitions for any level of rider.
We aim to give our members the best ranch sorting experiences in the world by allowing everyone in the family to compete, win and receive the recognition and rewards that only the very top competitors receive in most equine sports.
When the flyer indicates a $50 entry fee, this means each contestant pays $50 ($100 for the team). At RSNC sanctioned events, there is also a $3 sanctioning fee per rider per team, so each contestant pays $53 ($106 for the team).
Each entry includes up to 5 rides (five different teams) in a single class.
As a beginning ranch sorter, you are free to enter all classes, so long as you don't exceed a class's handicap, with the exception of the Youth class if you are older than 18 and the Masters class if you are not yet 50. Additionally, some classes may require special eligibility, like the Gold Shootouts, which limits entries to members with a Platinum or Gold membership.
If a class is handicapped like the #8 HC, for instance ("HC" indicates "handicap"), the combined rating between you and your partner must not exceed that number—in this case, 8. So, if your rating is a 1, you can ride with a partner who is rated up to a 7. If your partner is a 2, making your combined rating a 3, the difference is your handicap, which would be 5.
A team always gets 60 seconds per run, but in a handicap class, your handicap is added to the time you have to sort your cattle, so now you have 65 seconds. At the completion of your run, your handicap time is removed from your final time. So, if you sorted 6 cows in your 65 seconds, but your last cow came through at 55 seconds, we then subtract your 5-second handicap. Your final calculated time is now 6 cows in 50 seconds.
If it is a Ranch Hand class, that means one rider sorts while the other rider works the gate. The Rookie #11 HC has a 2 cap on the sorter. So only a #1 or #2 rated rider can sort but the gate can be worked by a higher rated rider.