The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-19
THROWING THE LASSO.
An Expert Tells Something About the Va
rious Methods of the Art.
From the Dene,r R,pu5,,con

\ lasso is about forty feet long seldom cN-
cceding fifty feet and out Of that must be de
Quoted the amount taken in making the moose
and the part which il retained in the hand. Thus
II IL seen that the average cast is about twenty.
Ave or thirty feet and the roper" who can throw
any where fifty feet with accuracy Is rarity.
In California they sometimes rope as long
siAty-lve feet but there they seem TO have a
habit Of throwing an enormously large loop
much larger than Is really necessary. In actual
work, however. it will be found that a mans hand
IL not large enough properly 10 hold much more
than forty feet Of rope when rolled ready u throw
Tho lasso is creation Of a certain environ
ment and need. It's place is on the broad prairios
and grazing lands and its chief utility lies in
the stock business. II Is almost useless in
wooded country by reason Of the distractions
afforded by branches and bushes. The finest
lassos are OF rawhide. cut into thin strips and
braided. six-py into n rope II from thrcc-cightns
10 ono half inch in diameter They arc quite
expensive, a good forty'foot rope costing about
ST. On this account Of late years hard-twisted
grass rope liz used, but the rawhde rope Is the
best in the wind as II is heavier and when filled
with oil IL is not affected by wet weather
braided rope. also. has less tendency To kink
than a twisted rope. Cowboys have mixture
Of lard and beeswaN with which they dress their
hemp or linen rops TO keep out dampness, and
most celebrated Of the genuine -riatas" are made
in Chicago. which produces an article much su-
pcIior to the rouGher ones turned out IN Mexico.
here are three general methods OF throwing
with many minor variations Of individual habit
The rope IS held in praetcally the same way
the moose swinging around above the head from
right To left by n rotating wrist movement Some
.Iopets throw smai. loop, had G ni fast a.
nevertheless. arrives" For mys self, ! favor a
small loop, thrown hard as it seems the hes, all
round style most effective against the wind or
other adverse conditions
The aim is somewhat TO the right Of the oh
iec, 10 he roped-say a foot and half on a twenty
five foot throw, the exact instant Of release he
ing governed by weigh, Of rope. wind velocity
Of swing, sc Judgment, comes instinctively
with practice, The rest OF the rope is held cooled
in the other hand and released a. fast as desired.
two OF three coils being retained
To "snub the rope tvind II about the pomme
after castingj in the instant Of time allowed is
trick quite as dilhc,lt as throwing properly.
The McSicans, with their large diameter pom
mels, have 10 Jake only one turn; the American
pommelS being smaller require two. The POM
mel often smokes from the friction created, and
is frequently dscply grooycd and almost burned
trained COW pony is obvious He il taught TO
settle back on his launches the instant the rope
begins 10 tighten and in many other ways mate
rally to assist his master.
The second method of throw ing is exactly
the left 10 right above thc head before release.
This Is called the california throw and possibly
Svrs ,hs any uss sn ns
find 1t NJ myself II may he only a personal
result ANY good ROPER can throw either way.
The third Is the corral drag" which, its
name indicates IL for use afoo and in confined
quarters II consists In trailing out the loop
on the ground behind one and swapping II for
ward by an underhand motion
The lasso greatest effectiveness as a weapon
Is when the welder is mounted When both
adyeIsaries are Rfoot its value liz very slight
With cattle OF horses II is very different thing.
The whole cssencc Of the matter is 10 tighten
the "oose around an opponent with Jerk sufii-
Gent 10 dismount him or take him oil his feet
To that end YOU may ride past him swiftly, OF,
II pursuing him, stop your horse suddenly. Or.
II he il stationary and you cannot ride past him,
you can wheel your horse and retire after a sue.
cessful cast. In lassoing man II done skill
fully the instant NJ time s too brief for him eithcr
10 throw off the tightening moose or cut IT, And
IL is one Of the most deceptive things to attempt
10 dodge
II IL possible 10 control ihc moose Of a lasso
by the remainder OF the rope but II Is deNterity
which few acquire In years. The finest roper
know Of Nincente oropesa, champion of old
Mexico. can do this 10 perfection. and his per
Torrance Is one Of the ablest in that interesting
exposition OF craftsmanship Oropesa rs an
enthusiast One Of the MeNcans once told me
that one night the champion dreamed Of a new
cast and at once got up and went ont scantily
clad, and In half an hour had mastered It,