Living Las Vegas

Real Life in the Shadow of the Strip

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Horsing Around at the South Point

Just about every Las Vegan knows that the National Finals Rodeo takes over Sin City every December. Ticket prices — at $600 a pop — are right up there with the most expensive shows in town. Most locals also probably know about Stoney’s, the bar on South Las Vegas Boulevard that boasts the largest country western dance floor in the West. But I think most residents of the valley would be surprised to learn that a glimpse into the “Cowboy Way” is available all year long for only the price of whatever gas it takes to get to the South Point Hotel and Casino.

I live about five minutes from the South Point and often pass the resort on my way to the freeway. I’ve often wondered about the rows of horse trailers that usually populate the front parking lot. While I’m usually in too big a hurry to indulge my curiosity, the other day I finally caved in. The big marquee announced the “2008 Breeder’s Invitational and Derby” the third week of May. “Breeder’s Invitational and Derby” wasn’t much of a clue as to what kind of event this would be, but the abundance of fit and lean men and women in Western attire lounging about the casino floor only heightened my interest. As I walked down the long corridor near the gift store toward the arena, I began to notice the fresh, pungent smell of horses — a lot of horses.

Walking into the arena lobby, I was struck by how friendly everyone was, from the security dudes in cowboy hats and the Western merchandise vendors to the other audience members. The first thing that caught my eye in the arena was a bunch of riders moving in a circle in an enclosed section. I learned later that this is the “loping pen,” an apt title. It’s where the horses and riders have a chance to warm up before competition.

On the other side of the loping pen, which was by far the most active part of the arena, I could see a group of steers. Five or six horsemen were watching intently as a cowboy slowly guided his mount into the bunch and began to cut one from the herd. It turns out that this “cutting” event — separating one steer from the others — is the main event of the derby. It was news to me that cutting is a national sport that awarded more than $43.4 million in prize money in 2007. The event at this year’s South Point Breeder’s Invitational alone awarded $1.6 million to competitors.

During summers on my family’s ranch in Wyoming a few decades ago, I learned the basics of “working cattle.” In my first outings, I was lucky to have a horse that knew more about the work than I did, and she studiously ignored my feeble attempts to tell her what to do. Though I never won the respect of my horse, I did learn to appreciate her remarkable skill, and this experience gave me real appreciation for the cutting competition. The horses are incredibly attuned to the task at hand, and it’s mesmerizing to watch the teamwork of focused horses and skilled riders. Not surprisingly, cattle are not pleased when they are cut from the herd. They try everything in their power to get back to their buddies. The cutter’s job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.

If it sounds easy, consider this: The rider is not permitted to direct the horse in any overt way. Once the rider has identified the target steer, he or she (and the sport is almost evenly divided between male and female competitors) drops one hand from the reins. From that point on, the horse must keep the steer under control pretty much on its own. A rider can use her legs and spurs, but any vocal direction or rein action can result in penalties. Each human/horse team is judged, and awarded points, on how many steers it can cut and control in a 2.5-minute period, and the rules are very complex.

“I’ve been doing this for more than 25 years, and I’m still not sure on some of the points,” Sally Harrison told me. Sally’s an analyst with Equine Marketing who took the time to educate me on the finer points of the cutting. Good thing, too, because the rule book runs to 165 pages and is not for the faint of heart. Suffice it to say that the judging is complicated, and the rules for the loping pen are pretty amusing!

One way to lose points is to do anything that upsets the herd, which makes good cutting a demonstration of teamwork, intuition and finesse. I watched a series of competitors, and I was impressed with how easily some of the humans communicated with their horses. The real joy, however, was watching the horses outthink and outflank the steers. In one sequence, a horse refused to acknowledge that the timer had buzzed. Intent on his mission, he insisted on keeping that steer at bay, drawing a chuckle from the judges and rider.

The competition draws competitors of all ages and skill levels (both horses and humans), and they look mighty fine in their Western attire. The event is free, you can come and go as you please, and there is plenty of good people-watching.

Most of the upcoming events in the South Point Equestrian Center are free to the public, but there are some ticketed events, too; for example, the Lipizzaner Stallions are coming in July, the Indian National Finals Rodeo is in October, and the CBR (Championship Professional Bull Riders) is scheduled for January. I hope to attend the 2008 High Roller Reining Classic, another free event, in September. In a reining competition, competitors must complete a series of circles, sliding stops and spins. They’re judged on their technical and artistic skills. In the movies, these sliding stops would be orchestrated by an “Indiana Jones” special-effects team, but this is the real deal: A horse and rider race around the arena and in the blink of an eye stop so quickly that the horse makes a dirt-flying skid.

The South Point has created an easy way for all of us city dwellers to catch a glimpse (and a whiff!) of the Cowboy Way. Only a few minutes from the razzle-dazzle of The Strip, it’s an instant journey into the world of cattle, horses and the humans who love them. If you’ve wondered about those custom trailers parked in the front lot when you’ve driven by – stop next time! If nothing else, you’ll see the grooviest belt buckles this side of the Rockies.