The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-11-27
THROWING THE LASSO.
An Expert Tells Something About the
Various Methods of the Art.

Various Methods of the Art.
A lasso is about forty feet long-sel
dom exceeding fifty feet-and out Of
that must be deducted the amoun
taken in making the moose and the part
which is retained in the hand. Thus il
is seen that the average cast is about
twenty or thirty feet, and the
roper" who can throw anywhere neal
fifty feet with accuracy is a rarity, Ir
California they sometimes use rope as
long as sixty-five feet, but there they
seem to have habit of throwing an
enormously arge loop-much larger
than is really necessary. In actual
work, however, it will be found that a
mans hand is not large enough proper
ly to hold much more than forty feet
of rope when rolled ready to throw.
The lasso is creation Of a certain
environment and need. It's place is on
the broad prairies and grazing lands
and its chief utility lies in wooded coun-
try by reason of the distractions af-
forded by branches and bushes. The
finest lossos are of rawhide, cut into
thin strips and braided, six-ply, into a
rope of from three-eighths to one-half
inch in diameter. They are quite ex-
pensive, good forty-foot rope costing
about seven dollars. On this account OF
late years hard-twisted grass rope is
used but the rawhide rope is the best
in the wind, as 1t is heavier and when
filled with oil it is not affected by wet
weather. A braided rope, also, has less
tendency to kink than a twisted rope.
Cowboys have mixture of lard and
beeswax with which they dress their
hemp or linen ropes to keep out damp
ness, and also to prevent them from
getting to dry. The most celebrated of
the genuine ''riatas'' are made in Chi
cago which produces an article much
superior to the rougher ones turned out
in Mexico.
There are three general methods of
throwing with many minor variations
of individual habit. The rope is held
in practically the same way in every
case. First is the plain straight cast,
the moose swinging around above the
head from right to left, by rotating
wrist movement Some "ropers' throw
small loop, hard and fast, almost on
a level: Others larger, lazier kind,
which nevertheless, arrives" For
myself, / favor a small loop thrown
hard, as it seems the best all-round
| style, most effective against the wind or
other adverse conditions
! The aim is somewhat to the right of
| the object to be roped-say a foot and
| half on a twenty-five-foot throw, the
exact instant of release being governed
by weight of rope. wind, velocity of
swing, &c. Judgment comes instinc-
lively with practice The rest of the
rope is held coiled in the other hand and
released as fast as desired, two or three
coils being retained.
To "snub' the rope (wind it about the
pommel after casting) IN the instant Of
time allowed is trick quite as diff
cult as throwing properly. The Mexi-
cans, with their large diameter POM
mels, have to take only one turn the
American pommels being smaller, re-
quire two. The pommel often smokes
from the friction created, and is fire.
quently deeply grooved and almost
burned by the rope. The important
part played by the trained COW pony is
obvious. He is taught to settle back on
his launches the instant the rope be-
gins to tighten, and in many other
ways materially to assist his master.
The second method of throwing is ex-
actly the reverse--that is, the moose is
swung from the left to the right above
the head before release. This is called
the california throw" and possibly
gives little greater range. At any
rate, one or two Of the longest throwers
/ know use IT, and / find it so myself.
1t may be only personal result. Any
good roper" can throw either way.
The third is the corral drag" which. |
as it's name indicates, is for use afoot
and in confined quarters 1t consists in
trailing out the loop on the ground be-
hind one and swapping it forward by an
underhand motion.
The lasso's greatest effectiveness as !
weapon is when the welder is mounted. |
When both adversaries are afoot its |
value is very slight With cattle or |
horses it is very different thing. The |
whole essence of the matter is to tighten ,
the moose around all opponent with a |
jerk sufficient to dismount him Or take
him off his feet. no that end you may
ride past him swiftly, or, if pursuing |
him, stop your horse suddenly Or, if |
he Is stationary, and you cannot ride
past MN, you can wheel your horse and
retire after a successful cast. In las
soing a man, if done skilfully, the in
slant of time is too brief for him either
to throw off the tightening moose or cut
it, And 1t is one Of the most deceptive
things to attempt to dodge.
1t is possible to control the moose of a
lasso by the remainder of the rope, but
it is dexterity which few acquire in
years, The finest roper I know Of, Vim
cente Oropesa, champion Of old Mexico,
can do this to perfection, and his per-
torrance is one of the ablest in that in
ieresting exposition of craftsmanship
oropesa is an enthusiast. One of the
MeXicans once told me that one night
-he champion dreamed of new cast
ana at once got up and went out scanti-
y clad, and in half an hour had mas
cred it-Denver Republican.