Riders of all skill levels can enjoy the sport of ranch sorting.

A Paint Horse paws the soft ground, waiting impatiently in the opening between two octagonal pens. The number three is called out and then repeated, as horse and rider take their cue and enter the pen, their sights set on the big black steer with a “3” labeled on its back. The team quickly cuts the animal from the herd and chases it across the pen and into the adjacent arena.

Meanwhile, a teammate and his horse have started moving toward the herd, aiming to carve out the number four animal and send it through the pen’s opening. Back and forth the two competitors go, rotating their task until all 10 numbered cows have crossed to the other pen in numerical order, stopping the clock at 58:36 seconds. A fast-paced event that often draws hollers from spectators, the ­American Paint Horse Association’s (APHA) newest event—ranch sorting—will debut at this year’s regional Paint Horse club shows.