Lariat Rope Tricks

The fine art of lariat trick-roping was introduced to the United States by Vincenti Orespo, a performer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Before Orespo began showing off his personal repertoire of spinning and looping tricks, the lariat was simply a useful tool for catching and herding cattle and horses. Lariat tricks became a staple of carnivals, rodeos and traveling circuses, and they have remained a favorite recreation in the wide-open spaces out West.

  1. Preparation

    • You need about 20 feet of No. 12, 3/8-inch cotton rope, the kind traditionally used for raising and lowering window sashes. The rope can be cut down if this length proves difficult to handle. You also need to work in a flat, outdoor space with no obstructions, no fragile objects in range, and clothes that can get dirty and worn. The circular loop is known as the noose; the straight length held by the rope-spinner is known as the stem; the knot where the stem links to the noose is the Honda.

    The Wedding Ring or Body Spin

    • Hold the stem and one part of the noose with your right hand above your head, and keep the noose open with your left hand below your waist. With your right hand, lay the noose over your head, keeping the left hand down. With a smooth and rapid motion, drop the right hand until the rope is horizontal and circling your waist; release the noose with your right hand but keep a grip on the end of the stem; let the noose go with your left hand and begin spinning the rope from right to left around your body. Spin with your wrist, not your arm. Practice changing hands so you can hold the stem just as easily with the left hand as with the right.

    The Handshake

    • Follow the directions for the body spin. After a few smooth spins, drop your right hand to your waist, allowing the circling rope to almost reach ground level, then pass the stem from right hand to left hand and pull the noose back up to waist level. Keep trading hands in this way while you keep the rope spinning smoothly.

    The Juggle

    • Start the body spin again, this time gently raising and lowering the noose by moving your right shoulder up and down. Keep the forearm straight and pull the stem back up as soon as it passes beneath the level of your shoulder. When you're ready for a full juggle, drop the noose to the floor, give it a full spin around, then when the stem gets behind your left shoulder again pull up rapidly, raising your arm to a full height above your head. The timing has to be right: one spin around at the floor, one spin at the waist as the rope is rising, and one spin overhead.

    The Merry-Go-Round

    • Get a smooth flat spin going on the right side of your body. Pass the stem from your right to left hand in front of the body, then carry the spinning loop around your left side and behind you. Once the loop is behind you, bring your right hand back, use it to grab the stem, and bring the noose back around to your right side. The move can also be done one-handed, with your right hand and forearm passing over your head, behind your head, then back around on the right side.