Making Your Partners Job Easy
Date:March 2, 2004

I have been asked 1000’s of times “How do you pen faster?”   It all begins with the basics. To make your partners job  easy don’t run cattle at the line on the first cut, if the  cattle are real fresh hold the calf to the wall and allow  your partners to help you. Make your cut more precise and  don’t waste movements. If the cattle are soft then  position yourself and adjust your speed to make the best  cut without bringing any cattle to the line. You will  find, as I have, that you will begin to feel and anticipate  what pressure the cattle will and will not take. Place  the cattle in a position that will keep you from running  trash cattle at your partner. By doing this and taking the  pressure off of your partner on the first cut, will allow  the second man/woman to enter the herd without a million  things going through their mind. They can focus on finding  and positioning themselves on the appropriate calf. 
 
The rules for the first cut apply to the second rider  entering the herd. To not distribute the cattle all over  the pen you will need to hold them to the back wall while  you enter the herd. Place yourself in a position to make a  cut long before you enter the herd. When you have that  position, you then need to get in and out as quickly as  possible and reposition yourself on the line for the third  cut. Remember speed comes from the second cut and to  always place the second calf with the first. This allows  the cattle to settle just incase of a slow third cut. I  have won more penning by my or my partners carrying the  second cut all the way down the pen than making fast cuts  and returning for a calf which has returned to the heard.  

  Holding the line is probably the most thankless job in our  sport, other than flagging, timekeeping and producing (just  kidding). The lineman is constantly saving our rear ends  and never do we walk out of the pen saying “Good job on  the line. What a great move you made.” The truth is, I  don’t say it although I need to. Stepping up at the right  time, taking pressure off so the herd men can position  themselves or taking a trash off at the right moment.  Allowing the herd man to push his good calf down the pen is  much like a defensive end meeting a running back in the  middle of the field for an open tackle.  
 
In closing, the key to being successful in this wild and  crazy sport are the little things that do take time off a  run. Never quit hustling in the pen. You never can tell  when you might find a little luck. However, it all comes  down to one basic thing, make your partners look good.   Remember if you look good, you’re LOSING!!!!!! 
 
Scott Lumley