What types of rope are used in roping events and what makes each appropriate for its purpose?

Roping ropes are specialized equipment designed for specific timed event applications, and the characteristics that make a rope appropriate for heading are different from those that make one appropriate for heeling or breakaway roping. Understanding the properties of different ropes — stiffness, weight, length, and lay — helps a roper select equipment that complements their throwing mechanics and the specific demands of the event. Heading ropes are typically stiffer than heeling ropes, which helps the loop maintain its open shape during the swing and delivery. A stiff rope holds its circle better than a soft rope during the overhead rotation that a header uses to deliver a loop over the steer's horns. Heading ropes are also typically shorter than heeling ropes because the header is positioned closer to the steer and needs less rope to work effectively. Heeling ropes are generally softer and longer than heading ropes. The softer lay allows the loop to drape and settle more naturally as it approaches the steer's hind legs from below, which is the delivery angle that heel catches require. The additional length gives the heeler more rope to work with in managing the loop during the delivery and the subsequent dally. A rope that is too stiff for heeling tends to bounce and rebound rather than settling flat. Breakaway roping ropes are similar to heading ropes in their general characteristics but are attached to the saddle horn with a string or other device designed to release when the calf hits the end of the rope, so the calf is not dragged after the catch.