Do you know why team ropers are some of the handiest people with a rope? Because they simply NEVER put their ropes down. 

Team ropers are always inventing games to play outside of the arena, and the result is that, even when they’re not in the arena roping, they’re still fiddling with that rope and in turn making themselves better ropers once they hit the arena again. So in that spirit, we’re counting down some of our favorite “Team Roping Games” out there.   

7. P.I.G./H.O.R.S.E.

We’ll start off with the classic team roper game of P.I.G. or, if you want to play a little longer, H.O.R.S.E.

In this game, ropers show off their trick roping skills in an old-school match where competitors say “bet you can’t do this!” It starts off with one roper doing some sort of trick and roping the dummy, and the other ropers then have to mimic that trick and catch the dummy or else they will receive a letter. 

The game continues with each of the players taking turns making up tricks until all but one have completed the word. 

Watch Jo Jo Lemond and Juan Alcazar in an epic game of P.I.G. here: 

Video courtesy Rodeo Sport Promotions’ Youtube

6. Cowboy Toy

For years, this gift has shown up under Christmas trees and given at birthdays to young rodeo kids (and sometimes adults). It comes with a couple thin ropes, but even a shoelace will do for this mini roping dummy. 

Pro tip: If you lose the horns, a pen and some tape work just fine as a replacement. 

5. Reaching Contest

Another classic team roping game is a reaching contest. All you need is a dummy and a line to stand behind and you’ve got yourself a competition.

Starting with the line close to the dummy, each player has to rope it from behind the line. If you catch, you move on; a miss means you’re out. The line is moved back after each round and can get so far back that players are forced to dig out ranch ropes and even tie a couple together to cover the distance to the dummy. 

4. Floating Roping Dummy

This one is a lot like the Cowboy Toy, but on water. I’m sure there’s been a few vacationers shaking their heads at the rodeo kids pretending they’re running through 10 rounds at the NFR in a pool in Mexico. 

3. Inside Leg

The concept is simple, your buddy—acting as the steer—steps ahead and makes a left-hand turn (corner) and you have to rope his inside or left leg. It seems easy enough until your “steer” suddenly develops a stutter-step or decides to drag out of the blue. 

This tends to be one of those kids games that starts out innocent and then one kid throws a dirty hop in the mix and it turns blood thirsty, but if you can get by your friend practically doing a cartwheel to make you miss the inside leg, roping a hopping steer seems easy. 

2. Dash N Dally

Need to keep your kids quiet on a long road trip? This team roping game is for you, parents.

1. Cowboy Jousting

I don’t really think there’s much to say or explain about this cowboy game, the video pretty much says it all.