I have a friend that went big game hunting in Wyoming several years ago. When he got back from his trip, he invited us over for a meal where we got to sample some meat from animals that we don’t usually find in West Tennessee except maybe at the zoo. During the meal, he told us a story from his trip.
While his days were filled with hunting, he and his hunting companions were looking for a little something to do at night. They went down to the desk of the place they were staying and asked if there was anything to do in town that night. The desk clerk asked if they had ever been to a chicken roping contest. They replied that they had never even heard of chicken roping. The clerk told them that the state championship was taking place in town that night. Of course they had to go.
I remember my friend’s description of the place they went as being dirty and decadent. Dust and smoke rising into the lights over an arena filled with chicken roping enthusiasts filled with liquor and beer. Chicken roping has two-man teams with one roping the neck and the other roping the legs. I envisioned smaller lassos with rope that looked more like dental floss. My friend assured me that regular rope was used. He said that the whole time they were at the contest, only one chicken was roped. I told him that he must have seen the Wyoming state champion. He said that they didn’t because they were disqualified for tugging to aggressively on the chicken. It sounds like the ASPCA has their eyes on the whole chicken roping industry.
That evening when I got home, I wasn’t convinced that my friend was telling me the truth. Chicken roping sounded like it was in the same category as a snipe hunt. When we got home, I checked on the internet to see what I could find out. Much to my surprise, I found many pictures from chicken roping contests. In the years since I first heard about it, I have also been able to find videos of chicken roping. The videos and pictures paint the picture of a more family friendly environment that what I remember from my friends story. But maybe the Wyoming State Chicken Roping Championship is just different.