foreword and photos by Pam Gamble
Ranch Sorting is a Western discipline that has roots in everyday ranch work. Cows have to be separated for any number of reasons such as branding, doctoring or transporting. Teams must work in harmony to beat the clock. Each member of a team of two takes turns sorting cows, in order, into another pen. The team that sorts the most cows without getting any unwanted cows (known as trash) into the second pen, wins.
Ranch Sorting bills itself as the #1 Equine Family Sport. This is a big claim for any equine sport to make, but it is common to see family members making up the teams in the Sorting pen. In this way, families can spend time together perfecting their teamwork and competing for cash and prizes at the same time.
The Ranch Sorting National Championships is the organization that has spearheaded this sport's rise to top billing. Their goal is to grow the sport to the number one equine sport in the nation! According to their online statistics at www.rsnc.us, 75% of the competitors in Ranch Sorting are new to any type of horse sport. "It’s so easy anyone who can throw a leg over a horse can have fun and compete. Ranch Sorting allows everyone in the family to compete, win and get the recognition and rewards that in most equine sports only the very top competitors receive.”
Ranch Sorting National Championships recently became partnered with American Quarter Horse Association. This partnership allows dual points to be accumulated at properly sanctioned events. Competitors save money while qualifying for both the RSNC National Finals and the AQHA World Show Finals.
Ranch Sorting,
Tunica, MSDecember 9-11
By Sonya Buckner
The Buckner Family produced its first annual RSNC Sorting in Tunica, MS on December 9-¬11, 2011, with a larger than expected turnout. People came from Oklahoma, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi to compete for beautiful Maynard buckles and prize money of over $23,000. This show brought in 43 new members to the RSNC Family. The Tunica event ran a total of 724 teams in 3 days.
Friday morning started a little chilly with a 25 man round robin paying out $7,500. Kelly Downs took home a check for $2250. Terry Brooks made his trip worth while taking home 2nd, 3rd was Lynn Mayall, 4th Kevin Hosea, and 5th David Walker.
The All Levels Handicap was the first class for Saturday with teams fighting for $2,268.
1st Sonya Buckner and Nancy Perry $771.12
2nd Jane Blackburn and Brian Buckner $612.36
3rd Darren Detmer and David Walker $453.60
4th Lynn Mayall and Stephanie Detmer $226.80
5th Brian McClain and Andy Schultz $204.12
The #10 Handicap had 56 teams going for $2,486.
1st Pete Margos and Alan Kees $845.38
2nd Jana Mills and Nick Mills $671.33
3rd Sheridan Kee and Tommy Naylor $497.28
4th Danny Brown and Sonya Buckner $248.64
5th Codi Kee and Alan Kee $223.78
The Beginner Sort had 31 teams competing for $620.
1st Rocky Blackburn and Lindsey Moncus $248
2nd Clint Johnson and Michael Lambert $186
3rd Chuck Jones and Mike Kesterson $124
4th Mike Kesterson and Wendy Brown $62
#6 Sort had 76 teams running for $2109.
1st Michael Lambert and Rod Eddie $718
2nd Brandon Moncus and Lindsey Moncus $570
3rd Michael Lambert and David Walker $422
4th Tammie Walker and Brian McClain $210

5th Sheila Snyder and Rip Rippy $190
The last class of the day was the #11 Ranch Hand Handicap Sort with over 47 teams competing for $1,410.
1st Rocky Blackburn and Brian Buckner $480
2nd Rip Rippy and Brian Buckner $380
3rd Brandon Moncus and Brian Buckner $282
4th Leila Savage and Eddie Savage $142
5th Jamie Mixon and Brandy Wiley $126
Sunday morning was as cool but everyone was ready to ride and in good spirits.
The #13 Handicap lead the day off with 32 teams after $1,836.
1st Neal Freeman and Darren Detmer $ 734
2nd Rip Rippy and Brian Buckner $550

3rd Brandy Wiley and Jane Blackburn $368
4th Rod Eddie and David Walker $184
#10 Masters Handicap with 18 teams and a purse of $864.
1st Tommy Naylor and Bobby Savage $259
2nd Bobby Savage and Danny Brown $346
#12 Mixed class had 38 teams going for $1,140.
1st Danny Brown and Brandy Wiley $456
2nd Brandon Moncus and Nancy Perry $171
3rd Andy Anglin and Devin Reader $228
4th Bobby Savage and Sonya Buckner $114
Rookie #11 with #2 cap on sorter had 46 teams and a payout of $1,380.
1st Seth Adams and Sonya Buckner $470
2nd Ashlee Miller and Mike McMain $372
3rd Brian Johnson and Brian Buckner $276
4th Rip Rippy and Brian Buckner $138
5th Ashlee Miller and Wayne McManus $124
The last class for the show was the # 8 Handicap sort with 39 teams $1,170 was up for grabs.
1st Michael Lambert and Josh Clark $468
2nd Jana Mills and Nick Mills $352
3rd Nancy Perry and Steve Welch $234
4th Brian Johnson and Leila Savage $118
Laura Miller and RSNC President, Dave Wolfe lent a helping hand in the office, and their help was greatly appreciated. The next RSNC Show will be held in Magee, MS January 28, 2012. Check out the flyer at bucknercowhorses.com under events.
Ranch Sorting is a Western discipline that has roots in everyday ranch work. Cows have to be separated for any number of reasons such as branding, doctoring or transporting. Teams must work in harmony to beat the clock. Each member of a team of two takes turns sorting cows, in order, into another pen. The team that sorts the most cows without getting any unwanted cows (known as trash) into the second pen, wins.
Ranch Sorting bills itself as the #1 Equine Family Sport. This is a big claim for any equine sport to make, but it is common to see family members making up the teams in the Sorting pen. In this way, families can spend time together perfecting their teamwork and competing for cash and prizes at the same time.
The Ranch Sorting National Championships is the organization that has spearheaded this sport's rise to top billing. Their goal is to grow the sport to the number one equine sport in the nation! According to their online statistics at www.rsnc.us, 75% of the competitors in Ranch Sorting are new to any type of horse sport. "It’s so easy anyone who can throw a leg over a horse can have fun and compete. Ranch Sorting allows everyone in the family to compete, win and get the recognition and rewards that in most equine sports only the very top competitors receive.”
Ranch Sorting National Championships recently became partnered with American Quarter Horse Association. This partnership allows dual points to be accumulated at properly sanctioned events. Competitors save money while qualifying for both the RSNC National Finals and the AQHA World Show Finals.
Ranch Sorting,
Tunica, MSDecember 9-11
By Sonya Buckner
The Buckner Family produced its first annual RSNC Sorting in Tunica, MS on December 9-¬11, 2011, with a larger than expected turnout. People came from Oklahoma, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi to compete for beautiful Maynard buckles and prize money of over $23,000. This show brought in 43 new members to the RSNC Family. The Tunica event ran a total of 724 teams in 3 days.
Friday morning started a little chilly with a 25 man round robin paying out $7,500. Kelly Downs took home a check for $2250. Terry Brooks made his trip worth while taking home 2nd, 3rd was Lynn Mayall, 4th Kevin Hosea, and 5th David Walker.
The All Levels Handicap was the first class for Saturday with teams fighting for $2,268.
1st Sonya Buckner and Nancy Perry $771.12
2nd Jane Blackburn and Brian Buckner $612.36
3rd Darren Detmer and David Walker $453.60
4th Lynn Mayall and Stephanie Detmer $226.80
5th Brian McClain and Andy Schultz $204.12
The #10 Handicap had 56 teams going for $2,486.
1st Pete Margos and Alan Kees $845.38
2nd Jana Mills and Nick Mills $671.33
3rd Sheridan Kee and Tommy Naylor $497.28
4th Danny Brown and Sonya Buckner $248.64
5th Codi Kee and Alan Kee $223.78
The Beginner Sort had 31 teams competing for $620.
1st Rocky Blackburn and Lindsey Moncus $248
2nd Clint Johnson and Michael Lambert $186
3rd Chuck Jones and Mike Kesterson $124
4th Mike Kesterson and Wendy Brown $62
#6 Sort had 76 teams running for $2109.
1st Michael Lambert and Rod Eddie $718
2nd Brandon Moncus and Lindsey Moncus $570
3rd Michael Lambert and David Walker $422
4th Tammie Walker and Brian McClain $210

5th Sheila Snyder and Rip Rippy $190
The last class of the day was the #11 Ranch Hand Handicap Sort with over 47 teams competing for $1,410.
1st Rocky Blackburn and Brian Buckner $480
2nd Rip Rippy and Brian Buckner $380
3rd Brandon Moncus and Brian Buckner $282
4th Leila Savage and Eddie Savage $142
5th Jamie Mixon and Brandy Wiley $126
Sunday morning was as cool but everyone was ready to ride and in good spirits.
The #13 Handicap lead the day off with 32 teams after $1,836.
1st Neal Freeman and Darren Detmer $ 734
2nd Rip Rippy and Brian Buckner $550

3rd Brandy Wiley and Jane Blackburn $368
4th Rod Eddie and David Walker $184
#10 Masters Handicap with 18 teams and a purse of $864.
1st Tommy Naylor and Bobby Savage $259
2nd Bobby Savage and Danny Brown $346
#12 Mixed class had 38 teams going for $1,140.
1st Danny Brown and Brandy Wiley $456
2nd Brandon Moncus and Nancy Perry $171
3rd Andy Anglin and Devin Reader $228
4th Bobby Savage and Sonya Buckner $114
Rookie #11 with #2 cap on sorter had 46 teams and a payout of $1,380.
1st Seth Adams and Sonya Buckner $470
2nd Ashlee Miller and Mike McMain $372
3rd Brian Johnson and Brian Buckner $276
4th Rip Rippy and Brian Buckner $138
5th Ashlee Miller and Wayne McManus $124
The last class for the show was the # 8 Handicap sort with 39 teams $1,170 was up for grabs.
1st Michael Lambert and Josh Clark $468
2nd Jana Mills and Nick Mills $352
3rd Nancy Perry and Steve Welch $234
4th Brian Johnson and Leila Savage $118
Laura Miller and RSNC President, Dave Wolfe lent a helping hand in the office, and their help was greatly appreciated. The next RSNC Show will be held in Magee, MS January 28, 2012. Check out the flyer at bucknercowhorses.com under events.
