Terminology used in Working Cattle Events

Go Bye: Onlookers and/or trainers will often scream this when a horse is having a hard time getting a cow turned. It means that rider should ride the horse past the cow to make the cow turn.

New Cow: The judge will blow his whistle twice indicating the contestant is allowed to select a new cow. The judge feels tht the cow is unworkable, unsafe, runs blindly, or won't go at all.

Get to the Head: This call refers to the rider hustling up in their circles of the cow and riding to the head of the cow to turn the cow in the required circles.

Rating: The horse is at the shoulder of the cow and needs to mimics its speed to that of the cow until the horse is asked to turn the cow.

Late: The cow is not in the correct position as the cow either leaves the corner of the fence which means the rider has to run faster than the cow to catch the cow or when the rider comes out of a fence turn with the cow causing the horse to touch the cow in the butt and making its run with the cow harder.

Loop: Usually after the first fence turn (two fence turns are required) a hard-running cow will "pop off" the fence or if the rider is late getting out of a fence turn. The cow is to be "looped" in a circle at the end of the arena and than taken back down the same fence for the second turn.

Switch: Refers to the time being right for the rider to change the direction he is circling the cow and to go the other way down the arena.