Pre-Entry: All XETC Ropers will pre-enter and a secretary will be advertised as the contact person for entries to the event, only she/he can accept entries or you may enter by credit card via the XETC website at www.XETChampionships.com.

Roping Format: The Producer of XETC reserves the right to modify or change the format of an event to promote crowd and sponsor participation. Any changes to the format will be included in all advertisements prior to the event. Once and event has been advertised no changes can be made to alter or modify the format. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Entry Fees: All entry fees are to be determined at the discretion of the Producer.

Added Money: All 1-Day XETC Events will have a minimum of $10,000 added money. All 2-Day Events will have a minimum of $20,000 added money. The Season Finals will have a minimum of $50,000 added moneys.

1. Tie-Down Roping Rules

1.1. Roping Rules: Contestant must rope calf, dismount, throw calf by
hand and cross and tie any three legs. To qualify as a legal tie, there shall be at least one wrap around all three legs and a half hitch. If the calf is down when the roper reaches it, the calf must be let up to his feet and be thrown by hand. If the roper's hand is on the calf when the calf falls, the calf is considered thrown by hand. The rope must hold the calf until roper gets his hand on calf. Three legs must remain crossed and tied for six seconds, as timed by the judge, from the time the rope horse takes his first step forward after the roper has remounted, until approved by the judge. The roper must not touch the calf after signaling that he is finished until after the judge has completed his examination. The rope must remain slack until the field judge approves the tie. Unless instructed to do so by the judge, the roper will be disqualified for removing the rope from the calf after signaling for time, until the tie has been passed on by the field judge. In the event a contestant's catch rope is off a calf after completion of tie, the six-second-time period is to start when roper clears the calf. The flag judge must watch the calf during the six-second period and will stop the watch when a calf kicks free, using the time shown on the watch to determine whether the calf was tied long enough to qualify. If the tie becomes illegal by the calf kicking, or the calf gets to his feet before the tie has been approved by the judge, the roper will be marked "no time."

1.2. Abuse of Livestock: Intentional dragging or abuse of calves will not be tolerated. This will result in a no time and possible $25.00 fine. Any fines must be paid before that roper ropes his/her next calf or enters the next roping. Any fines paid will be added to the average pot of the next roping. If the fine is paid during a roping then it will be added to the average of that roping.

2. General Roping Rules

2.1. Back Gate: The back gate of the arena is left open. Once the calf breaks the plane of the back gate, the run is over.

2.2. Loops: Only one loop is allowed in all ropings.

2.3. Hitting/Whipping Horse: No hitting or whipping of horse on the head in the arena or in view of the public will be tolerated. This could also be a possible $25.00 fine. Any fines must be paid before that roper ropes his/her next calf or enters the next roping. Any fines paid will be added to the average pot of the next roping. If the fine is paid during a roping then it will be added to the average of that roping.

2.4. Outside Assistance: If at anytime during a run the flagman feels that livestock or roper is in danger, he can stop the run and assist or ask for assistance in helping with the problem. Any outside assistance would be considered a "no time". The roper can cut his rope to free livestock from harm and will be allowed to get his time.

3. Barrier Rules

3.1. Broken Barrier: A 10-second penalty will be added to roper's time for beating the barrier. The barrier judge has the right to give a plus 10, no matter where the barrier tail has fallen or if any time the barrier was beaten, such as horse rearing up over barrier.

3.2. Barrier Fouls and Re-Runs: If a barrier with a neck rope is used, a rerun will be given if neck rope fouls rope, roper, or horse; and roper does not compete on calf. Decision to be made by barrier judge or flagman. Should a re-run be awarded to a fouled Roper, the Roper who completed a qualified run in the match will receive a qualified time. (No times don’t apply) This Roper will have the option of keeping his qualified time, or drawing a calf from the pen of extra and starting the match over. If the barrier is broken during the fouled run, a rerun will be given lap and tap with the +10 penalty added on. When cattle are chute-run, the rerun will be given on the next calf. When cattle are drawn, the rerun will take place at the end of the run on the cattle. No rerun will be given if barrier fouls the roper's rope.

3.3. Barrier Failure: When the barrier fails to work, there is NO RE-RUN. The penalty will be taken off, unless the roper obviously beat the barrier.

3.4. Electric Eye: When using the electric eye and the calf fails to cross the path of the electric eye on his own accord, a rerun can be given. That calf will immediately come off the herd. This rule does not include cutting the calf back because of a badly broken barrier or a calf that happens to lose his footing.

3.5. Lineman: Roper is responsible for his own lineman.

3.6. Barrier Calls: In all barrier calls that need to be made, the
barrier judge can seek assistance from the flagman or producer.

4. Conduct at XETC Events

4.1. Major Offenses: The following conduct is not tolerated at any XETC event and could result in forfeiture of entry fees and disqualification of future events: Quarreling or fighting in the arena. Mistreatment of livestock. Misrepresenting or falsifying a classification number. Attempting to fix, threaten, bribe, influence, or harass any XETC official at any time, in or out of the arena, or talking with a judge at a time when an event is in progress. Engaging in, or attempting to engage in, any action threatening, berating, harassing, intimidating, assaulting, or striking a roping official, a roping spectator, any official representative or employee of the XETC or any XETC contestant.

4.2. Judges Decision: The decision of the judge will be final. However, XETC officials or producer may appeal to the judge on behalf of the roper for review of the call in question. A judge has the authority to request that any person be excused from the arena if that person, in the judge's opinion, is interfering with the event. A judge is considered the flagman or barrier judge.

4.3. Questioning a Call: Questions may be addressed to the event
producer immediately. No roper may question a judge while an event is going on. Questions may be addressed to a judge no sooner than at the end of the event. Contestant does have the right to explain his side of the story or to clarify a situation to the judge at the proper time and place. However, if the contestant is using abusive language or does not use good judgment in time and place, the judge should, at that time, inform said contestant that any further action will lead to disqualification and forfeiture of fees.

5. Money Obligations

5.1. Acceptable Payments for Entry Fees and Memberships: Entry Fees to be paid in cash. Memberships can be paid by cash, check, or credit card (Visa or MasterCard).

5.2. Bad Debts: Bad checks made payable or declined credit cards to the XETC, XETC vendors, Loops Magazine, or any XETC producer holding an official XETC sanctioned event will result in immediate ineligibility. A collection fee will be charged for each returned check. A check or credit card that goes uncollected beyond one year will pay $50 per year collection fee and the amount of the check or credit card.

6. Entries at Roping

6.1 Payment of Fees: Entry Fees at all XETC ropings will be paid out in check

6.2 Entering Ropings: Each Event is limited to 100 pre-entry contestants. Should an Event not “fill”, then, at the discretion of the Producer, they may keep the books open and adjust the fees and pay-out schedules accordingly.

Minimum Number of Entries/Entering Twice: Should an Event enter less than 32 Ropers, a Roper may enter twice if the Producer sees the entry necessary to equal the number of matches for the tournament.

7. Payout Schedule & Tiebreakers

7.1 Payout/Entry

7.2 Tie Breakers: All ties during the Event will be immediately roped off. The cattle for the tiebreaker will be used from a select pen of extras chosen specifically for this purpose. The winner will be identified during the tiebreaker match. Ties will only be roped off in the tournament style format Showdown Finals.

8. Roping Format/Showdown Finals

8. Showdown Finals

8.1 Qualifications:

1st Day Format (Invitation Only)
2nd Day Format - 32 Ropers will be awarded Showdown Positions.

These positions may be obtained as follows:

1) Placing in any of the Qualifying Rounds will automatically give the Roper a buy to the Showdown Round. 3 Showdown positions will be awarded per round. Total of 9 positions.

2) By placing in average. Any Roper placing in the average will receive a Showdown position; a minimum of 10 Showdown positions will be awarded.

3) At the discretion of the Producer, the remaining 13 Showdown positions may be awarded to fill the final places in the average or by seated positions for contestants chosen by the Producer. Should the Producer elect to seat a Roper to the Showdown, the Producer will identify all seated positions prior to the start of the Qualification Roping.

NOTE: There will be no duplications. No one will received more that one Showdown position per event. Should a Roper win more than one Showdown position then the position will be awarded to the next available averaged Roper.

8.2 Dress Code: The dress code for the XETC Event is longsleeve western shirt, hat, and boots.