Colorado Gay Rodeo Association
Meet the rainbow shirts, discover how a rodeo comes together, and find your place in the CGRA community.
Get involved · Meet the rainbow shirts
The ride gets the cheers. These are the people who make it possible.
Meet the officials and crew leads, follow their handoffs, and find a way to help. Choose a role to watch its four-scene puppet show, follow the rule references beside the action, then open its field guide for the full story.
This is a public introduction to the rainbow-shirt officials and the wider team around them. Illustrative scenes show communication, not an operating drill. Shirt colors in the show are decorative, not a CGRA uniform code.
Host leadership
The written scene-by-scene guides below are available even when the puppet show cannot load.
Before the first event, the Rodeo Director brings the Arena Director, Chute Coordinator and Emergency First Responders together to coordinate the response plan.
The Rodeo Director convenes the Arena Director, Chute Coordinator and Emergency First Responders before the first event to coordinate the emergency response plan.
Read the duty & practical example ↓Press Play to begin. You can also step through at your own pace. The stage is schematic; positions and elapsed animation time are not competition instructions.
What happens around a single go?
The sequence changes with the event. Rough stock begins at the chutes; speed and roping events use their own starts and patterns; camp events bring teams and different timing arrangements into the arena.
The field guide
Each guide starts with four cited responsibilities, then explains preparation, live work, closeout and how to get started. Rule summaries and practical examples are labeled separately.
The Rodeo Director connects the host association’s plans with the people delivering the event. Think of a weekend with many moving parts: competitors arriving, a public gate opening, animals being cared for, officials getting into position, and an audience waiting for the first event. This role keeps the overall operation connected so each specialist can do their work.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. The Rodeo Director convenes the Arena Director, Chute Coordinator and Emergency First Responders before the first event to coordinate the emergency response plan.
Rodeo Rules VII.10.b.i · p. 39 ↗In practice. In the show, the briefing connects the people who need to act together. Planning the meeting means making sure the arena and chute leads can both attend.
Rule summary. The Rodeo Director selects the Head Judge from the Senior Judges. The rodeo needs at least three Judges, including two Senior Judges; each arena and event also has specified Senior and Rookie coverage limits.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.a.v · p. 39 ↗Rodeo Rules VII.7.b · p. 39 ↗In practice. A staffing update is more than a head count. The director needs to know which qualifications are represented before assigning the judging lead.
Rule summary. The Rodeo Director, Arena Director and stock contractor determine whether arena conditions are unsafe. Competition may be stopped until conditions are satisfactory, with contestant concerns considered.
Rodeo Rules IV.27 · p. 32 ↗In practice. The puppet handoff shows a condition report reaching the decision group. A delivery delay or schedule pressure does not decide whether the footing is acceptable.
Rule summary. Formal review concerns rule misinterpretation or misapplication. It begins with a contestant’s request to the Rodeo Review Trustee; the director’s production role does not replace that procedure.
Rodeo Rules VI.2–3, 7 · p. 36 ↗In practice. Close the loop on a request by identifying its next owner. An equipment issue and a request to review a ruling require different follow-up.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Build a practical plan with department leads: who is arriving, where they report, which resources they need, and who covers a gap. Walk through the schedule from setup to awards. Confirm how arena operations, registration, volunteers, hospitality and emergency services reach one another. A useful briefing answers ‘who owns this?’ before the radio becomes busy.
Stay available to the leads and resolve production problems that span departments. A missing runner, a public announcement or a delayed delivery may need coordination beyond the arena. Listen for the actual constraint, identify a responsible person, and confirm the handoff. When the performance is held, help the affected teams understand what they should do while the arena officials address the issue.
Check that departments have completed their closeout and that unresolved work has an owner. Capture practical lessons while they are fresh: which handoff worked, where people waited, and what equipment or staffing should change. Thank the people who did the work and make the next planning conversation easier with clear records.
This is a non-certified official position under the published rules. Overall production responsibility does not turn the director into the judge, scorekeeper or veterinarian. Rule reviews follow the applicable review procedure.
Start by helping a department lead, then take responsibility for a bounded area of an event. Planning, listening, follow-through and a calm radio manner are valuable preparation. Ask CGRA about its selection process and the scope of an assignment.
Before the first event, the Rodeo Director brings the Arena Director, Chute Coordinator and Emergency First Responders together to coordinate the response plan.
Rodeo Rules VII.10.b.i · p. 39 ↗The director checks the judging team’s qualifications and designates a Senior Judge as Head Judge.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.a.v · p. 39 ↗Rodeo Rules VII.7.b · p. 39 ↗An arena-condition concern reaches the director. The Arena Director, Rodeo Director and stock contractor assess the concern together.
Rodeo Rules IV.27 · p. 32 ↗The director confirms who owns the follow-up. A formal request to review rule application goes through the Rodeo Review Trustee.
Rodeo Rules VI.2–3, 7 · p. 36 ↗An assistant gives the Rodeo Director another reliable point of coordination. The title is most useful when it comes with a clear assignment: for example, volunteer readiness, venue logistics or the transition into awards. An assistant follows that assignment all the way through instead of becoming a second, competing source of instructions.
What the rules assign · 2026
This is a host-assigned support position. The rules below establish shared responsibilities and boundaries; they do not prescribe a separate assistant’s job description or grant certification.
Rule summary. The pre-rodeo meeting includes the listed officials and their assistants so duties and special circumstances are understood. The Rodeo Secretary directs that meeting.
Rodeo Rules IV.29 · p. 32 ↗In practice. Use the briefing to confirm your task, your lead and the decisions you can make. The volunteer check-in assignment in the show is an example chosen for this guide.
Rule summary. The Arena Director coordinates arena staffing with the Rodeo Director. That rule names the accountable leads; it does not transfer arena control to every host assistant.
Standing Rules XX.1.A–B · p. 26 ↗In practice. An assistant can check who has arrived, relay a supply request or find an assigned runner. Send the update to the lead who can act on it.
Rule summary. Role briefings cover assistants too. Timer substitutions have additional limits after the first performance; ordinary volunteer shift changes cannot be treated as permission to replace an official Timer.
Rodeo Rules IV.29 · p. 32 ↗Rodeo Rules XII.7–9 · p. 50 ↗In practice. The show’s relief volunteer has a general support task. Confirm the receiving lead accepts the handoff before anyone leaves a post.
Rule summary. Assistant Rodeo Director is explicitly included among key personnel covered by the restriction on competing or injury-risk exhibitions while working the same rodeo. IV.25 includes a specific Finals assistant-director provision.
Rodeo Rules IV.25 · p. 32 ↗Rodeo Rules VI.2–3, 7 · p. 36 ↗In practice. Agree on your weekend’s role before accepting an assignment. Report unfinished work to the director; a general support title does not confer judging authority.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Agree on the area you own, the decisions you may make and the point at which to call the director. Gather the relevant contacts, access arrangements and schedule. Meet the lead volunteers you will support. Turn broad intentions into small checks: a person is assigned, the person has arrived, the equipment is present, and the receiving lead knows it is ready.
Move between the assigned teams and the director with concise updates. A useful message includes the location, the problem, its effect on the schedule and the help required. Track the response rather than assuming that sending a message solves the problem. Arrange relief and follow-up within the agreed assignment so a lead does not have to leave an active post to find a basic resource.
Return borrowed equipment, reconcile open requests with each lead and hand back any records. Report what was completed and what still needs attention. An assistant’s closeout should be understandable to someone who was elsewhere on the grounds during the performance.
An assistant’s authority comes from the defined assignment. The role does not automatically confer a certified official’s duties, access to confidential records, or authority to approve spending.
Choose an area that matches your experience and ask to work beside its lead. Practice an orderly shift handoff: current status, next task, open issue and next contact. Assistants to the Arena Director, Chute Coordinator, Secretary, Scorekeeper and Announcer similarly work within their lead’s assigned duties and applicable qualifications.
The director delegates a volunteer check-in area. The assistant confirms the scope and the lead contact.
Rodeo Rules IV.29 · p. 32 ↗The assistant checks that the department has its people and equipment before the performance needs them.
Standing Rules XX.1.A–B · p. 26 ↗A relief volunteer arrives. The department lead explains the current task before the original volunteer leaves.
Rodeo Rules IV.29 · p. 32 ↗Rodeo Rules XII.7–9 · p. 50 ↗The assistant reports completion and flags the one unresolved request to the Rodeo Director.
Rodeo Rules IV.25 · p. 32 ↗Rodeo Rules VI.2–3, 7 · p. 36 ↗The Arena Director holds the big picture inside the competition arena. While a spectator watches one contestant, this official is also watching the space, the next setup and the people who need to be in position. The job connects preparation, competition and reset into an orderly sequence.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. The Arena Director participates in the arena and chute inspections and conducts the new-contestant orientation, including roll call. The Secretary posts the meeting information.
Rodeo Rules X.1 · p. 49 ↗Rodeo Rules I.13 · p. 2 ↗In practice. Walking the arena and briefing new contestants answer different questions: is the space prepared, and do the people understand how the day works?
Rule summary. For speed events, the Arena Director or designee tells the contestant the arena is set and clear. Rough-stock notification belongs to the Chute Coordinator; roping and camp-event notification belongs to the Start Judge.
Rodeo Rules IV.20–22 · p. 32 ↗In practice. The show illustrates a speed-event readiness handoff. A crew finishing its work is a status report; the contestant still waits for the assigned official’s notification.
Rule summary. The Arena Director must stop all events if the Emergency First Responders are busy or unavailable, until they are available again. The role also attends the pre-event emergency planning meeting.
Standing Rules XX.1.D–E · p. 26 ↗In practice. This is a concrete pause condition, even when the next contestant and the arena are otherwise ready. Keep the teams informed while coverage is restored.
Rule summary. The official granting a re-ride gives its reason to the Arena Director. The Arena Director passes it to the Announcer, who announces the re-ride and why it was granted.
Rodeo Rules IV.31 · p. 33 ↗In practice. The puppet’s message represents both the decision and its reason. Sending only ‘another run’ leaves out information this handoff requires.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Work through the arena plan with the other officials and the crew. Know the gates, staging areas, equipment locations and communication signals. Identify where a person can wait without blocking an exit or a contestant’s approach. The published rules also assign this official the new-contestant meeting. A well-prepared arena begins with people understanding where they belong.
Coordinate the transition from one go to the next and from one event to another. Look for incomplete setup, people still working in a competition area or a message that has not reached the next team. Keep the Chute Coordinator, judges, crew and announcer connected. If a problem appears, communicate it clearly and use the appropriate officials’ process to resolve it before the next relevant action.
Confirm that the area is clear for the crew’s next task and that the next event has the required arrangement. Pass useful information forward: a changed sequence, a repair needing attention or a delay that affects the booth. At the end of the performance, contribute to the officials’ follow-up and leave a clear handover for the next session.
Arena Director is an IGRA-certified role. Arena readiness, judging, stock handling and medical care involve different responsibilities; a radio instruction should identify who needs to act rather than blur those boundaries.
Arena crew experience can help you understand event changes and communication. Ask the relevant IGRA certification committee about the current training route. An assistant should have an explicit area and a named supervising official; observing a role is not the same as being qualified to fill it.
The Arena Director participates in the arena inspection and leads the new-contestant orientation before competition.
Rodeo Rules X.1 · p. 49 ↗Rodeo Rules I.13 · p. 2 ↗For this speed-event example, the crew reports clear and the Arena Director or designee notifies the contestant that the arena is ready.
Rodeo Rules IV.20–22 · p. 32 ↗The Arena Director pauses the events when Emergency First Responders become unavailable. Events remain stopped until the responders are available again.
Standing Rules XX.1.D–E · p. 26 ↗The official granting a re-ride gives the Arena Director its reason. The director passes that explanation to the Announcer.
Rodeo Rules IV.31 · p. 33 ↗The Chute Coordinator manages the working sequence around the chutes. This is where a contestant, an animal, equipment and several people must be ready at the same time. The role requires close attention to what is happening now and what the next contestant will need, without treating speed as the only goal.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. The Chute Coordinator oversees the chute area and coordinates its staff, livestock and equipment. The role communicates with the stock contractor and checks equipment, reporting defects for replacement.
Standing Rules XXI.1.A–C · p. 27 ↗Standing Rules XXI.1.D–G · p. 28 ↗In practice. A lineup check brings several sources together: the working order, the animal or chute assignment and the people responsible for the next contestant.
Rule summary. Chute assignments follow the Secretary’s running order. For rough-stock events, the Chute Coordinator tells the contestant when the arena is set and clear.
Rodeo Rules IV.8–9 · p. 30 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.20–22 · p. 32 ↗In practice. The readiness cue in the show belongs to a rough-stock example. It should not be copied into a roping or camp event, where the Start Judge provides that notification.
Rule summary. During chute events, the coordinator and assistant remain on or behind the bucking chutes, except for split-chute arrangements. The role also works with the Arena Director on the status of an animal that becomes dangerous.
Standing Rules XXI.1.A–C · p. 27 ↗Rodeo Rules XI.3–4 · p. 49 ↗In practice. The main puppet stays at the chute station while the demonstration contestant moves away. That illustrates why coordinating the area continues after a gate opens.
Rule summary. The rough-stock rule allows the Chute Coordinator to change chute exit order for safety, equipment or rodeo flow, but requires notifying the Scorekeeper and Announcer before the change.
Rodeo Rules III.1.A.5 · p. 6 ↗In practice. The next entry cannot be changed only at the chute. The booth and scoring desk need the same order so an introduction or result is not attached to the wrong person.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Review the event sequence and stock arrangements with the stock contractor and officials. Check how the lineup will be communicated and where authorized helpers should stand. Understand the route from holding area to chute and out of the arena. Work through the communication plan so the arena and booth can identify the same contestant and animal.
Follow readiness at the chute and communicate with the arena team. Notice missing equipment, a contestant who needs clarification or an animal issue that needs the appropriate response. Keep the official running information aligned when an authorized change occurs. The audience may see a gate open; behind that moment is a sequence of checks, clear messages and specialist work.
Prepare for the following contestant and confirm any changed information reaches the people recording and announcing the event. Note a chute or equipment issue for correction. A clean handoff is more useful than a shouted instruction that one team hears and another misses.
This is an IGRA-certified position involving livestock and restricted working areas. A new volunteer should not open a chute, handle stock or enter this area without the designated lead’s training and assignment.
Ask about supervised work appropriate to your livestock experience and the current certification route. An assistant can help with a defined lineup or communication task under the coordinator. Learn the vocabulary and signals first; never assume a diagram teaches the physical skills of chute work.
The coordinator checks the next contestant and the stock sequence with the assigned chute team.
Standing Rules XXI.1.A–C · p. 27 ↗Standing Rules XXI.1.D–G · p. 28 ↗A message goes to the arena before the gate sequence. The gate remains closed while the teams prepare.
Rodeo Rules IV.8–9 · p. 30 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.20–22 · p. 32 ↗The schematic gate opens and the contestant and animal move into the arena. The coordinator stays at the chute station.
Standing Rules XXI.1.A–C · p. 27 ↗Rodeo Rules XI.3–4 · p. 49 ↗The team resets its station and passes any authorized order change to the booth and scorekeeper.
Rodeo Rules III.1.A.5 · p. 6 ↗An arena crew turns an empty space into the next event’s working area. Its coordinator makes that work understandable: what needs moving, who is doing it, where it belongs and when the crew must be clear. This role makes the invisible work between runs visible and organized.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. The Arena Crew Coordinator is an optional certified official. The Standing Rules assign volunteer recruitment, crew direction and assistance to the Arena Director to this position.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.c–d · p. 39 ↗Standing Rules XXVI.1.A–D · p. 35 ↗In practice. Give each volunteer a defined task and a lead to report to. Helping on the crew is a way to learn; it is distinct from holding the coordinator’s certification.
Rule summary. Arena setup must follow the Rodeo Rules’ specifications and measurements. Before the first go-round, the coordinator consults the Arena Director and, if available, the Contestant Liaison on speed-event stopping and timing-light distances.
Standing Rules XXVI.1.A–D · p. 35 ↗Standing Rules XXVI.1.E · p. 35 ↗In practice. The moving barrel represents setup work only. Its position on this little stage is not a dimension to use when laying out a real pattern.
Rule summary. The crew coordinator directs event transitions. For horse events, nonparticipating animals and contestants must be clear and interference removed before the arena is offered; the notifying official depends on the event.
Standing Rules XXVI.1.A–D · p. 35 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.20–22 · p. 32 ↗In practice. Account for crew members and tools, then report readiness. The scene shows a crew-to-official handoff, not a volunteer giving the contestant a start signal.
Rule summary. The setup and transition duties continue as events change. The coordinator assists the Arena Director and directs the crew’s work against the applicable event specification.
Standing Rules XXVI.1.A–D · p. 35 ↗In practice. A reset is a chance to check what moved, return equipment to the intended place and tell the lead about damage or an unfinished task.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Meet the crew and discuss the day’s event changes. Identify equipment, storage locations, tools and the order in which each task will happen. Explain the agreed entry and exit routes and how the crew will receive instructions. Ask volunteers to repeat back unfamiliar tasks so questions are answered before the arena is busy.
Take the arena setup instruction from the Arena Director and translate it into specific crew tasks. Keep people from duplicating work or moving equipment another person is checking. Monitor whether the task is finished and whether every crew member has returned to the assigned waiting area. Tell the Arena Director what is ready and what still needs attention.
Use the interval after a go or event for the authorized reset. Inspect the work together with the responsible official, account for tools and prepare the next equipment change. Arrange a proper relief handoff so the new crew knows what has already been done. At closeout, return equipment to its designated place and report damage.
The published rules list Arena Crew Coordinator as an optional certified official. General crew volunteering is a separate assignment. Pattern approval and the timing of entry into the arena stay with the designated officials.
This is a natural area to ask about supervised beginner work. Be honest about your physical limits and experience; useful work also includes equipment organization and supply support. Wear the gear requested by the organizers and wait for the lead’s instruction before entering a working area.
The coordinator receives the next setup and gives one clear task to each crew member.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.c–d · p. 39 ↗Standing Rules XXVI.1.A–D · p. 35 ↗Once authorized, the crew moves the example barrel to its marked location. This is a schematic setup, not a measured pattern.
Standing Rules XXVI.1.A–D · p. 35 ↗Standing Rules XXVI.1.E · p. 35 ↗The coordinator confirms the crew and tools are out of the competition space before the next go.
Standing Rules XXVI.1.A–D · p. 35 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.20–22 · p. 32 ↗After the go, the crew returns on instruction, checks the equipment and reports completion.
Standing Rules XXVI.1.A–D · p. 35 ↗A judge watches the part of a performance that determines the official outcome. The work combines positioning, knowledge of the event and disciplined attention. To the audience a flag may look like a small gesture; to the timers and scorekeeper it is a meaningful signal in a much larger information chain.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. Judges must hold current-year IGRA certification and be in good standing. The officiating team must meet the Senior and Rookie coverage requirements for each arena and event.
Rodeo Rules XIII.1–2 · p. 51 ↗Rodeo Rules VII.7.a.v · p. 39 ↗In practice. Confirm your event, position and observation before taking the post. The title ‘Judge’ does not make every training-level assignment interchangeable.
Rule summary. Judges officiate fairly and send their scores or sheets to the official Scorekeeper. Senior Judges supervise developing Judges as specified by the certification program.
Standing Rules XXII.1.A–C · p. 29 ↗In practice. Watch the particular action your position must judge. The staged contestant is a communication example, not enough information to decide a real score or disqualification.
Rule summary. Judges, with the Scorekeeper and Announcer, should make every reasonable effort to notify contestants of penalties or disqualifications immediately after the event. The imposed ruling must also reach the scoring record.
Rodeo Rules XIII.3–6 · p. 51 ↗Rodeo Rules XII.5.d–e, 6 · p. 50 ↗In practice. The flag is only one part of the handoff. The people recording and explaining the result need the ruling, not a guess based on the crowd’s reaction.
Rule summary. Rough-stock disqualifications need a reason on the score sheet. Barrier and pattern Judges keep their respective penalty records, which must correspond with the Scorekeeper’s records. Certified officials remain for 30 minutes after each performance.
Rodeo Rules XIII.3–6 · p. 51 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.28 · p. 32 ↗In practice. A legible record allows a specific discrepancy to be checked. Remaining available makes that follow-up possible after the last visible go.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Review the events and the assignment with the judging team. Know what must be visible from your position and how your signals reach the timers. Confirm which sheets or other recording tools will be used and how they reach the scorekeeper. A useful preparation exercise is to walk through the difference between observing a fact, making a decision and communicating that decision.
Concentrate on the assigned observation, apply the relevant event rules and communicate the outcome through the agreed signal and record. A timed event and a scored ride ask different things of a judge; they should not be treated as interchangeable. Keep personal preference and audience reaction out of the result. If something needs clarification, use the officials’ communication process.
Make the record legible and traceable to the correct contestant or team. Supply the information the scorekeeper needs and clarify a discrepancy through the proper channel. Remain available for the official follow-up rather than treating the last visible performance as the end of the job.
Judges are IGRA-certified officials, with experience-level requirements for assignments. The guide’s flag animation is an illustration of communication, not a substitute for the event-specific starting and stopping rules.
Learn the events from several viewpoints and ask the judges’ certification committee about training and supervised experience. Practice describing exactly what you saw without adding assumptions. A beginner can help with approved support work while pursuing the qualifications needed to judge.
The judge checks the event and confirms the signal with the timer before the go.
Rodeo Rules XIII.1–2 · p. 51 ↗Rodeo Rules VII.7.a.v · p. 39 ↗The contestant enters the demonstration area. The judge follows the assigned part of the event.
Standing Rules XXII.1.A–C · p. 29 ↗In this timed-event illustration, a flag signal communicates the judging action to the timer.
Rodeo Rules XIII.3–6 · p. 51 ↗Rodeo Rules XII.5.d–e, 6 · p. 50 ↗The judge’s recorded decision travels to the scorekeeper, where it is matched to the correct entry.
Rodeo Rules XIII.3–6 · p. 51 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.28 · p. 32 ↗The Head Judge is a Senior Judge designated to lead the judging team for the rodeo. The position adds coordination to the work of judging: making sure the team understands its assignments, communicating clearly with other officials and keeping questions from becoming a set of conflicting conversations.
What the rules assign · 2026
Head Judge is a designation given to a Senior Judge. Team-briefing examples below explain the work; the designation does not create a separate appeal process.
Rule summary. The Rodeo Director designates a Senior Judge as Head Judge. The rodeo must have at least three Judges, including at least two Senior Judges.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.a.v · p. 39 ↗In practice. The show begins with a team briefing. Establish who is coordinating the judges so questions have a clear first contact.
Rule summary. Each arena and event requires Senior Judge coverage. The Senior Judge provisions also require an officiating Senior Judge who is not accompanying a trainee, and reserve trainee supervision and training to Senior Judges.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.a.v · p. 39 ↗Standing Rules XXII.2.E · p. 32 ↗In practice. Look beyond the number of people available. An experienced judge already accompanying a trainee cannot be counted as the separate, unaccompanied Senior Judge.
Rule summary. A contestant’s formal request about rule application goes through the Rodeo Review Trustee. Only the Trustees as a group can make the final determination described in the escalation procedure.
Rodeo Rules VI.2–3, 7 · p. 36 ↗In practice. A Head Judge can help route a question and explain the judging team’s information. An informal discussion is not the formal review decision.
Rule summary. Judging scores and sheets go to the official Scorekeeper. Senior Judges provide the Area Lead with documentation of judging activities and trainees’ progress at the end of the rodeo.
Standing Rules XXII.1.A–C · p. 29 ↗Standing Rules XXII.2.E · p. 32 ↗In practice. The last handoff includes both competition records and, where applicable, training documentation. One does not substitute for the other.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Review the judging assignments, the event sequence and the team’s working arrangements. Discuss sightlines and the handoff of decisions before the first performance. Help less-experienced officials understand their assignment and who to ask when they need clarification. The goal is a team that can explain its process consistently.
Carry out the assigned judging work while remaining an effective contact for the team. Bring questions to the relevant officials, separate an observation from a proposed interpretation and make sure an agreed clarification reaches the people who need it. A calm discussion away from unnecessary public distraction helps preserve attention on the next go.
Help the team complete records and identify questions still needing the formal process. Discuss operational lessons such as blocked sightlines or confusing signals so the next performance is better prepared. Preserve the difference between a team debrief and a formal review of a contestant’s result.
The Rodeo Director designates a Senior Judge as Head Judge. This does not replace the rulebook’s defined review process or make an informal conversation a final appeal decision.
This is an experienced judging assignment. Build the required judging qualifications first, then develop the communication habits that help a whole team work well. Useful practice includes concise briefing, neutral language and documenting the actual question before attempting to resolve it.
The Head Judge reviews positions and communication with the judges before they take their posts.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.a.v · p. 39 ↗Each judge understands which observation and signal belongs to their position.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.a.v · p. 39 ↗Standing Rules XXII.2.E · p. 32 ↗A judging question is directed to the right officials instead of becoming competing instructions across the arena.
Rodeo Rules VI.2–3, 7 · p. 36 ↗The team ensures its records and outstanding questions reach the proper next step.
Standing Rules XXII.1.A–C · p. 29 ↗Standing Rules XXII.2.E · p. 32 ↗The secretary’s work begins before a contestant reaches the arena. Registration and event records connect a person or team to the events they entered. A mistake in that connection can follow the contestant through a whole weekend, so the office needs both patient conversation and careful attention to detail.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. The Secretary supervises the Scorekeeper and secretarial staff and ensures staffing, supplies and forms are available. The Secretary also directs the pre-rodeo officials meeting.
Standing Rules XXIV.1.A–E · p. 33 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.29 · p. 32 ↗In practice. Welcoming contestants requires a prepared office behind the counter. Organize unanswered questions so an assistant can identify the next responsible person.
Rule summary. The Secretary posts the new-contestant meeting information. The Arena Director conducts the orientation and roll call; the two roles have distinct parts in the same preparation step.
Rodeo Rules I.13 · p. 2 ↗In practice. At check-in, a new contestant should be able to find the meeting information. Passing along that information supports the orientation without turning the registration desk into the instructor.
Rule summary. The Secretary assigns the first-performance running order by random drawing, with Bull Riding’s separate draw rule. The second-performance order reverses the first, subject to the stated provisions; order is posted at least 30 minutes before the first event of each go-round.
Rodeo Rules IV.8–9 · p. 30 ↗In practice. One consistent working list lets the chute team, arena and scoring desk identify the same contestant. Resolve a change through the official process before circulating a new version.
Rule summary. The Secretary works with the Auditor on accurate, timely scores, times and results, and with the Announcer on prompt announcements. Supervising the office includes the Scorekeeper and other secretarial staff.
Standing Rules XXIV.1.A–E · p. 33 ↗Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗In practice. Closeout connects the entry record to the event record. Return a missing detail to its source instead of reconstructing it from memory.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Prepare the registration workspace and the information contestants need. Work through the entry records, required documentation and questions that need resolution. Organize the event information so the arena and scoring teams can work from a consistent set of entries. Think about the visitor arriving for the first time: clear signs and an understandable next step reduce confusion for everyone.
Maintain an orderly office as questions and authorized changes arrive. Identify the contestant and event before changing or forwarding information. Keep the people who need an update informed while protecting documents that contain private information. An assistant can help manage a queue or prepare materials, with record changes handled within the assigned process.
Bring the registration and results records together for the required closeout. Resolve missing information through the appropriate official rather than filling a gap from memory. Organize the material so another authorized person can understand which version is final and where a supporting record belongs.
Rodeo Secretary is an IGRA-certified role. Access to registration documents is a working responsibility, not an invitation to share contestants’ personal details. Public explanations use demonstration entries only.
Office volunteering can be a good introduction for someone who likes accurate records and helpful conversation. Ask about supervised check-in or document organization and the current secretarial certification path. Reliability with routine work matters as much as being able to handle an unusual question.
A demonstration contestant reaches registration. The secretary identifies the entry and the information still needed.
Standing Rules XXIV.1.A–E · p. 33 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.29 · p. 32 ↗The office checks the entry and points a new contestant to the posted orientation details. The Arena Director will conduct that meeting.
Rodeo Rules I.13 · p. 2 ↗The confirmed event information moves to the scoring and arena teams through the agreed channel.
Rodeo Rules IV.8–9 · p. 30 ↗After the performance, the office brings the completed records together for the next official handoff.
Standing Rules XXIV.1.A–E · p. 33 ↗Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗The scorekeeper sits at the meeting point of entries, times and judging decisions. A number is only useful when it belongs to the right contestant, event and performance. This role protects that connection and helps turn the action in the arena into a record that can be checked later.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. The Scorekeeper holds training with Timers and Assistant Scorekeepers before or immediately after the Secretary’s officials meeting. It defines duties and tests watch accuracy; the Scorekeeper also supervises Timers and ensures adequate coverage.
Rodeo Rules XII.14 · p. 51 ↗Standing Rules XXV.1.A–D · p. 34 ↗In practice. A tidy sheet alone is not enough preparation. The people supplying the numbers need to understand the same handoff and malfunction-reporting process.
Rule summary. Timing sources differ by event: roping and Chute Dogging use three designated Timers, rough-stock riding uses a Judge’s watch, and horse speed events use electronic timing with the event’s fallback provisions.
Rodeo Rules XII.5, 10 · p. 50 ↗In practice. Identify which event is being recorded before accepting a number. Three watches are not a universal recipe for every rodeo event.
Rule summary. The rules preserve recorded times with the applicable no-time, penalty or disqualification notation. Where a stopwatch no-time call needs clarification, retain the times and ask the Arena Director or involved Judges.
Rodeo Rules XII.5.d–e, 6 · p. 50 ↗In practice. Do not replace an unexplained result with a blank. Preserve the source information so a clarification can be applied to the correct entry.
Rule summary. Hand times use hundredths and electronic times use thousandths; computer entries use the first two decimal places without rounding, retaining thousandths for tie-breaking. The Scorekeeper relays scores and times to the Announcer promptly.
Rodeo Rules XII.1–4 · p. 50 ↗Standing Rules XXV.1.A–D · p. 34 ↗In practice. For example, an electronic 12.349 becomes 12.34 in the computer, while the original precision remains available for the prescribed tie-break. This is an example, not a contestant result.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Prepare the working records and confirm the event order with the secretarial team. Agree with judges and timers on how information will arrive, how a correction is identified and what happens if something is missing. Arrange the workspace so a busy moment does not mix an unfinished record with a completed one.
Identify the current entry, receive the relevant times and judging information, and record the result according to the event’s procedure. Check a mismatch with the source instead of guessing. If the next contestant is about to start while the previous record is unresolved, communicate that fact clearly so it can be managed.
Review the record for completeness and hand it to the next authorized part of the results process. Make any clarification traceable: which entry was affected, what the source official supplied and which record now applies. An orderly scoring sheet makes the later audit and results work easier.
Scorekeeper is an IGRA-certified role. Recording an outcome does not transfer a judge’s decision-making authority to the desk. An illustrative number in this guide is not a live result.
Ask about approved assistant work and the current certification route. Practice accurate listening and repeat-back: identify the entry, read the supplied information and confirm any uncertainty. Good assistants are comfortable pausing to ask a precise question instead of silently making a plausible guess.
The Scorekeeper briefs Timers and Assistant Scorekeepers, checks watch accuracy and prepares the demonstration entry.
Rodeo Rules XII.14 · p. 51 ↗Standing Rules XXV.1.A–D · p. 34 ↗The timer supplies the recorded time and the judge supplies the relevant decision.
Rodeo Rules XII.5, 10 · p. 50 ↗The scorekeeper checks that the information belongs to this entry and resolves a mismatch with its source.
Rodeo Rules XII.5.d–e, 6 · p. 50 ↗The Scorekeeper retains the source precision, records the required decimal places and passes the result to the Announcer.
Rodeo Rules XII.1–4 · p. 50 ↗Standing Rules XXV.1.A–D · p. 34 ↗A timer’s task looks simple until several things happen at once. The announcer is speaking, the audience reacts and the competitor may be moving away from the timer’s view. The timer needs to concentrate on the assigned signal and keep a reliable record rather than following the most exciting part of the action.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. The Scorekeeper’s timing-team training defines duties and tests stopwatch accuracy. Hand stopwatches must have matching types and displays, showing hundredths of a second.
Rodeo Rules XII.14 · p. 51 ↗Rodeo Rules XII.1–4 · p. 50 ↗In practice. Check the display and assigned sightline before the first go. Report an equipment problem while it can still be addressed.
Rule summary. The rules use three official Timers for roping and Chute Dogging, a Judge’s watch for rough-stock riding, and event-specific timing for camp and horse speed events.
Rodeo Rules XII.5, 10 · p. 50 ↗In practice. This puppet is illustrating an assigned timed-event signal. It is not a rough-stock official-timer demonstration, and its animation speed is not a competition clock.
Rule summary. Timers keep the same position throughout that event’s competition at the rodeo. Replacements after the first performance are limited to sickness, injury or an IGRA official’s request because of incompetence.
Rodeo Rules XII.7–9 · p. 50 ↗In practice. Consistency helps officials know which watch and sightline produced a reading. Arrange needs with the Scorekeeper instead of casually exchanging posts.
Rule summary. Timers must check that the Scorekeeper records their watch reading against the correct contestant. Supplying a number is not the end of the timer’s responsibility.
Rodeo Rules XII.11 · p. 51 ↗In practice. In the show, the timer retains the reading and checks the handoff before resetting. Confirm both the digits and the entry they belong to.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Receive an event-specific briefing from the officials. Check the equipment, batteries, display and sightline. Identify the judge or timing signal you are assigned to follow and the method for reporting a malfunction. Walk through the handoff to the scorekeeper so the time can be matched to the correct contestant.
Watch the assigned start and finish cues and operate the equipment as briefed. Stay focused on your own responsibility, even when other runs or conversations are nearby. If something goes wrong, report exactly what happened; do not invent a time or copy a neighbor’s number as if it were your own observation.
Give the time and any relevant timing problem to the scorekeeper through the agreed procedure. Keep the reading available until it has been recorded and you are ready for the next go. Reconfirm the signal assignment when the event changes; a routine that was correct for one event may not be the next event’s routine.
The rules list timers as non-certified officials, but the job still requires training and a specific assignment. Timing arrangements vary by event; rough-stock judging and camp-event timing have their own procedures.
This can suit someone who enjoys focused, repeatable work. Ask for a practice briefing and supervised experience. Be clear about visibility or hearing needs so the lead can select an appropriate position. Dependable concentration is more useful than trying to react to everything happening around you.
The timer tests the watch and confirms which judge’s signal to follow for this demonstration.
Rodeo Rules XII.14 · p. 51 ↗Rodeo Rules XII.1–4 · p. 50 ↗The timer watches the assigned signal. The display starts only as an illustration of that handoff.
Rodeo Rules XII.5, 10 · p. 50 ↗The signal ends the example interval. The timer retains the reading rather than immediately clearing it.
Rodeo Rules XII.7–9 · p. 50 ↗The recorded time and any timing problem go to the scorekeeper before the timer prepares for another go.
Rodeo Rules XII.11 · p. 51 ↗The announcer connects the public to an event that can be difficult to understand on a first visit. A good call identifies what the audience is watching, introduces the people competing and gives enough context to appreciate the performance. It also leaves space for the officials’ working communication.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. The Announcer performs the functions required by the Rodeo Rules and additional announcing or emcee work requested by the Rodeo Director. The Announcer and assistants attend the officials briefing.
Standing Rules XXVII.1.A–C · p. 36 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.29 · p. 32 ↗In practice. Prepare names and transitions, and find out who will supply official updates. The show’s introduction is an example of public-facing preparation.
Rule summary. A re-ride explanation travels from the granting official to the Arena Director, then to the Announcer. The Announcer announces every re-ride and its reason.
Rodeo Rules IV.31 · p. 33 ↗In practice. The message should identify what changed and why. An announcer communicates the grant; the microphone does not grant the re-ride.
Rule summary. Judges should make every reasonable effort, with assistance from the Scorekeeper and Announcer, to notify contestants of penalties or disqualifications immediately after their event.
Rodeo Rules XIII.3–6 · p. 51 ↗In practice. An engaging explanation still needs an official source. Obtain the decision before announcing a penalty, and distinguish event education from a ruling on a specific contestant.
Rule summary. The Scorekeeper relays times and scores to the Announcer promptly, while the Secretary also coordinates timely announcements. Emcee work remains within the Rodeo Director’s requested functions.
Standing Rules XXV.1.A–D · p. 34 ↗Standing Rules XXIV.1.A–E · p. 33 ↗Standing Rules XXVII.1.A–C · p. 36 ↗In practice. Match the incoming result to the person being introduced. Use a confirmed update to transition the audience to the next part of the program.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Prepare pronunciations, the event sequence, sponsor acknowledgments and the information approved for public announcement. Establish who will supply changes and official results. Test the sound with the production team and organize notes so a late update is easy to find. An assistant can track scripts and updates while the announcer concentrates on the microphone.
Describe the action clearly and welcome people who are new to rodeo. Distinguish a confirmed update from a guess. When a pause occurs, use the information provided by the responsible official rather than speculating about a contestant or animal. Let the public know what to expect without interfering with a working official’s signal.
Use the approved information for results and the transition to the next event. Keep track of corrections and pronunciation notes for the next performance. At awards, match the announcement to the confirmed list so the public presentation reflects the completed results work.
The microphone communicates decisions; it does not make them. The published rules route re-ride announcements and their reasons through the Arena Director. Avoid disclosing private registration or medical information.
Begin with script preparation, name pronunciation or a supervised announcing opportunity. Practice explaining an event in a few clear sentences. Ask what information the organizer wants announced and who can authorize a late change.
The announcer checks the next event and the demonstration contestant’s public introduction.
Standing Rules XXVII.1.A–C · p. 36 ↗Rodeo Rules IV.29 · p. 32 ↗The Arena Director supplies an authorized change, with the context the audience needs.
Rodeo Rules IV.31 · p. 33 ↗The microphone carries a clear explanation while the officials continue their separate working tasks.
Rodeo Rules XIII.3–6 · p. 51 ↗The announcer uses confirmed information to guide spectators toward the next part of the performance.
Standing Rules XXV.1.A–D · p. 34 ↗Standing Rules XXIV.1.A–E · p. 33 ↗Standing Rules XXVII.1.A–C · p. 36 ↗The rodeo’s visible action leaves a less-visible trail of entries, scores, times and final records. The auditor works within the official secretarial and results process so that this trail can be examined and completed. Careful review matters because a weekend’s results continue to be used after the crowd has gone home.
What the rules assign · 2026
Rule summary. IGRA appoints a certified Rodeo Auditor for each sanctioned rodeo. The Standing Rules place the Auditor alongside the Secretary in maintaining accurate and timely results records.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.c–d · p. 39 ↗Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗In practice. The review desk receives records through the official secretarial process. This is a qualified appointment, not a general office volunteer assignment.
Rule summary. The Auditor and Secretary work together on the accuracy and timeliness of scores, times and results in both rodeo and IGRA records.
Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗Standing Rules XXIV.1.A–E · p. 33 ↗In practice. Follow the connection from entry to result. The show’s missing supporting detail illustrates a question that needs its source before the record can be treated as complete.
Rule summary. Accurate records are a shared Auditor–Secretary responsibility. A contestant’s formal challenge about rule application has the separate Rodeo Review Trustee procedure.
Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗Rodeo Rules VI.2–3, 7 · p. 36 ↗In practice. A record discrepancy may need the source official’s clarification. An auditor’s arithmetic or completeness check does not replace judging or turn into a private appeal.
Rule summary. The Auditor submits a report to the Trustees meeting after the final event and before awards presentations. Certification includes prior Secretary and Scorekeeper qualifications plus the program’s supervised experience and examination requirements.
Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗Standing Rules XXIII.2.A.2–8 · p. 33 ↗In practice. The final event does not end the office’s work. Allow time for the reporting handoff before the public celebration begins.
The following preparation and volunteering suggestions are practical orientation, not additional rules.
Watch this role’s puppet show ↑Coordinate the working arrangements with the secretarial team. Understand how records will arrive and how questions will be returned to their source. Prepare an orderly workspace and distinguish current working material from completed material. Clear organization helps prevent a question about one event from becoming confused with a different event’s result.
Work through the records supplied by the responsible officials. When information does not agree, identify the specific entry and bring the question back to the appropriate person. A useful review asks for the missing source rather than substituting memory or an assumption. Keep a clear distinction between a record that has been checked and one that is still awaiting clarification.
Support the official completion and handoff of the rodeo’s results information. Keep outstanding questions visible until they are resolved through the proper process. A good closeout leaves the next authorized reader able to follow the record without reconstructing a conversation from the arena.
IGRA appoints the certified Rodeo Auditor. This is not an open volunteer assignment, a substitute for judging, or the same job as auditing the host association’s entire finances.
If careful records interest you, ask about the secretarial training and certification process and how audit experience is developed. Supervised office support offers a way to learn the information flow. Protect personal data and ask before handling records outside your assigned work.
The secretary brings the completed demonstration event records into the review process.
Rodeo Rules VII.7.c–d · p. 39 ↗Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗The auditor checks how the entry and result fit together and identifies a missing supporting detail.
Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗Standing Rules XXIV.1.A–E · p. 33 ↗The question goes back to the source official through the secretarial team instead of being filled in by guesswork.
Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗Rodeo Rules VI.2–3, 7 · p. 36 ↗The clarified record supports the Auditor’s report to the Trustees meeting after the final event and before awards.
Standing Rules XXIII.1.A–B · p. 32 ↗Standing Rules XXIII.2.A.2–8 · p. 33 ↗The wider rodeo team
Help the assigned lead with a defined task, lineup, equipment or communication. Supervision and the required experience come first; an assistant title does not automatically qualify someone for the lead’s certified duties.
The stock contractor and experienced handlers bring specialist livestock knowledge. Veterinarians and farriers provide their own professional services. Report an animal concern to the responsible official; these jobs require appropriate expertise.
Bullfighters, pickup personnel and emergency responders have specialist assignments. Contestant liaisons help carry contestants’ concerns to the officials. Ask the organizer who is assigned for the performance.
Guest directions, ticket assistance, supplies, setup and cleanup can offer a first step into CGRA. Tell the volunteer lead your availability, interests and any practical limits so the assignment works for you.
Historical schedules, prices, and visitor details are labeled by season. Visit the upcoming rodeo page for confirmed 2027 announcements.
