Goat tying styles and performance in collegiate rodeo competitors

Abstract

Goat tying is a rodeo event involving dismounting a horse, and flanking and tying 3 legs of a goat. Flanking is defined as picking a goat up and setting it on the ground on its side. Flank and gather (FG) is a style where riders scoop the legs with the right hand and then place them in the left. Catch the flank (CF), stuffing (ST), and funneling (FN) are other methods that involve the goats’ legs landing together so the right hand is not needed for gathering. The objectives of this study were to determine (1) if flanking method affects performance, and (2) where errors most often occur during a run. It was predicted that riders using FG would have more successful runs, and that most errors would occur while tying. Goat tyers (n = 17) competing in the Ozark National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) completed a survey about preferred flanking method and horse experience with goat tying. Rider runs (n = 73) were videoed at 5 rodeos and evaluated whether participants flanked the goat as reported in the survey, considered a successful flank, and where horse or rider errors were made. Not every rider competed at every rodeo. Seven riders used FG, followed by CF (n = 4), ST (n = 4), FN (n = 1), and other (OT; n = 1). Of those styles, FG had the highest success rate (n = 16 of 24 attempts; 67%), followed by ST, FN, and OT (n = 12/20, 3/5, and 3/5, respectively; 60% each), and CF (n = 6/19, 32%). Using Microsoft Excel, results of a chi-squared test for independence examining the relationship between flanking method and success rate were nonsignificant, χ²(4, n = 73) = 5.83, P = 0.21. Rider errors were grouped into 5 categories: dismount, approach, flank, gather, and tie. Most errors were made during the approach (31%), regardless of flanking method used. A chi-squared goodness-of-fit test was used to compare observed frequencies of different errors to expected distributions. There was a significant deviation from expected values, χ²(4, n = 165) = 24.79, P < 0.01. Riders using CF made the fewest errors in tying (n = 4/19; 21%) as compared with riders using ST (n = 12/20; 60%). Horse errors primarily involved not running directly toward the goat, and only occurred in 8 runs. During those runs, 6 riders (75%) made errors in their approach. A conditional probability equation, determined that if the horse erred, there was a 74.5% chance the rider would make an error in their approach. While more data could strengthen the results, there was a significant difference in where errors were made, and errors were more likely to occur if the horse erred. Knowing that riders are more likely to make errors in their approach if the horse misbehaves, coaches may emphasize more time practicing with horses.