The basic rules of a ranch sorting run once the clock starts

Once the two riders are set in the empty pen, the run follows a fast-paced sequence governed by the clock and cattle numbers. The objective is to move the highest number of cattle into the second pen in the correct numerical order before the clock expires.

The Setup and Start

• The Pens: The arena consists of two connected round pens (typically 50-60 feet in diameter) separated by a 12-to-16-foot gate opening.

• The Herd: One pen holds 10 with numbers on their sides (0 through 9).

• Starting the Clock: The judge raises a flag when the arena is ready. The 60-second clock officially starts the exact moment the nose of the first horse crosses the foul line into the pen holding the herd.
  

The Sorting Sequence

• The Call: As the riders cross the line, the judge immediately calls out a random starting number (e.g., "Six").

• The Order: The team must find the cow wearing that number, separate it from the herd, and push it completely through the gate into the empty pen. They must then sort the remaining numbered cattle in sequential, ascending order (e.g., 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, 1, 2...).

Disqualifications ("No-Times")

A team instantly receives a "no-time" (disqualification) for the run if any of the following occur:

• Wrong Order: Any part of a cow crosses the foul line before it is numerically next in the sequence.

• Spillback: A correctly sorted cow crosses back over the foul line into the original pen.

The run ends when all 10 numbered cattle are successfully sorted, or the clock expires. If multiple teams sort all 10 cows, the team that completed the run in the fastest time wins.