Patent ID: 7784793

Claim:
An roping apparatus comprising: a base having a front end, a rear end, and a top surface; a wheel rotatably mounted to the base about a substantially horizontal wheel axis oriented transverse to the base and below the top surface of the base, the wheel defining at least one slot extending from a rim of the wheel toward the wheel axis; wherein the wheel is mounted such that the rim of the wheel extends above the top surface of the base; an upper portion roping target defining a wheel well on a bottom surface thereof, and configured such that the rim of the wheel extends upward into the wheel well; wherein the upper portion is supported above the base such that a gap is formed between the bottom surface of the upper portion and the top surface of the base; wherein the wheel is configured such that a selected object drawn through the gap enters the at least one slot on the wheel and causes the wheel to rotate; and a retainer mechanism operative to prevent the upper portion from moving upward away from the base.