As I watched a youth rodeo recently at the Chisolm Trail Saddle Club rodeo grounds near Clearwater Kansas, it occurred to me that corporate headhunters might want to consider adding goat tying to their qualifications for employment.
Disclaimer: My 13 year old granddaughter is a competitor in Sumner County Youth Rodeo.
Each rodeo has several events. There is static roping where a dummy, stationary calf is roped, there is barrel racing, which is self-explanatory, the flag race where the rider rides to the end of the arena, turns and retrieves a flag from atop a barrel and returns, there is “poles,” a timed event where horse and rider must weave in and out of a line of poles and return without knocking any of them over, and then there is goat tying. Goat tying, also a timed event, is the youth version of the calf roping seen in larger rodeos.
The young rider gallops to the end of the arena, dismounts, and grabs the unsuspecting goat, throwing it to the ground. Then the rider ties three of the goat’s legs together so it can not get up and run off. The tie has to hold for at least six seconds, or it is scored as a “no time.” This event harkens back to the days of working cattle on the open prairie.
The Google and Wikipedia help us with the following information. “The event originated in the United States in the late 1800s. “Goat tying is a challenging event that requires the rider to have strong riding skills and a good understanding of the goat.”
As I watched, I realized these kids, mostly young ladies, for some reason, must deal with a wide variety of unexpected realities. The event is an excellent test of a person’s ability to deal with things of varying complexity, many of which are totally unexpected.
If a young person, a prospective employee let’s say, has tied a goat, this should provide insight into a prospective employee’s abilities…or lack thereof. You can practice all you want, and you should, but there is absolutely no accounting for what might happen when a live goat is involved. You are forced to figure it out as you go, great practice for life.
What if you can’t get the goat on the ground? You try again.
What if the goat will not cooperate in letting you tie three of its legs together? You keep working at it until you get it. The time doesn’t stop until the legs are tied for six seconds.
What if the goat kicks dirt in your face? You brush it off and keep working.
What if, instead of running away, the goat turns and head-butts you? You must be agile and find a way to deal with it.
What if you tie the goat, and it gets loose before the required six seconds are up? That means the goat has won. You will have to get back on your horse and ride back to the starting gate, resolving to do better next time, learning from any mistakes you have made. There is another test next week.
You either win or you learn. (Someone more famous than myself first said that)
Goat tying, much like life, has a timekeeper or a judge who is always watching. You either do it right, or you get no time for the event. There are no shortcuts.
As a corporate leader, you should want young ladies and young men working for you who can tie a goat, so send your recruiters to the Chisolm Trail Saddle Club rodeo grounds on any Saturday in the summer.
I’m sure in your business you have some goats that need to be understood and maybe even tied.
Have a great day!