You and your steed will do fine, don’t worry.
One more little trick, generally most arena dummy ropings you also turn your horse after dragging and let it face the dummy, even maybe take a step or two back.
Shows the horse can work a rope if necessary. not just be comfortable around one and dragging stuff.
He did!! 
If I ever hear back from the show contact, I will ask if there is a drag element to it as well, it just says “rope steer” 
The directions and maps of the courses with this leave a LOT to be desired. With his driving background, he drags it just fine, we did that this week with no issue. If I can drag I certainly will!
I did hear back from a friend whose daughter just showed last weekend in a 4-H ranch halter class. She said the ranch classes there had far less entries than the English/Western and that they only have been on the showbill for 2 years now. I suspect they are newer add with the area open shows too. A lot of the 4-H kids show the open shows in the summer and the English/Western has always been the norm in this area so it may just be starting to get some interest.
I think mostly it shows a horse can also hold a rope tight, not necessarily drag backwards.
It shows a bit more finished horse in rope work.
The word “finished” in this makes me laugh…Charlie falls more into the “humors his human with all her crazy asks” category!
It is certainly not customary, but I don’t believe it would be outside the rules to use a rope halter for showmanship. Double check your rule book to be sure.
The one area where a rope halter could be dinged points, is that you are likely not going to get the “snug fit” that is preferred for showmanship where your halter needs to be adjusted correctly to your horse’s head. Now, if you don’t really care how you place and are doing it for the experience, then it won’t matter.
Yes, this is common. Usually if you enter the ranch horse classes, you cannot enter western pleasure or horsemanship or show trail. It depends on the show, depends on the classes offered, etc. Always read the rules!
When I go to a ranch horse versatility show where they have Ranch Reining, then I also cannot enter the regular Reining. It’s against the rules. Which is fine. They are trying to keep the Ranch movements different, as they should be. But if a show does not offer Ranch Reining, then I could do (for example) Ranch Riding and still enter the regular reining. (because Ranch Reining wasn’t an option at the show and I wasn’t entered)
Just heard back with my questions! You use the associations rope, you get one try, and then drop it and move to the next obstacle.
Reporting back! The walk trot classes were smaller and much more low key than the novice and open. The Fjorden did great, we won our ranch pattern and ranch trail classes. He was so solid for the trail; great prep for the WE show next weekend. I do wish we could have used our own rope, I had to unwind/untangle it for the jump standard it was on. Big thank you to @Aces_N_Eights for sending me the rope handling videos…HUGE help!!
We got third in the rail and didn’t place in halter but it was good for his groundwork so a win for me. He also worked very nicely off the trailer too!
Congratulations! Sounds like it was a successful day, all in all.
Amazing, good job.
Was he the only Fjord?
If so, bet you had plenty asking you about him.
He wasn’t! There was one other fjord that was there too. There are a few around.
We did get recognized though…a trainer that hauls in to ride with my BO/trainer came up and asked if he was Charlie from BOs barn 
. She has a 20 year old fjord that her son started out on and several other halflingers and gypsies. There was a gorgeous gypsy that was doing the open classes…incredibly balanced and consistent. And hairy!!
Neat, glad you both did so well.
May suggest to the association putting those classes to let people that want to use their own ropes, so they won’t have to put up with the mess others leave behind?
Congratulations! Glad you had a great day. 
Awesome! So happy for you!
Fjords are such handy and hardy horses. And Charlie Boy is particularly handsome to boot.
Well done!!!
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