Fence Work in Reined Cow Horse
Position, timing and control in the cow work event.
Fence Work Within the Cow Work Event
Fence work is the down-the-fence portion of cow work. It is part of the World’s Greatest Horseman’s cow work score, alongside boxing and circling; it is not an additional event separate from cow work.
Control, Position and Timing
The horse must rate the cow’s speed, move into position and turn it along the fence while maintaining control. This is a test of cattle sense, responsiveness and athletic ability. The objective is controlled work, not driving cattle into the fence.
How It Fits the Championship
Cow work is one of four scored events, together with herd work, rein work and steer stopping. It concluded the 2026 Open finals, where Jordan Williams and Jaymes Bond marked 219 in cow work and finished on an 885.5 composite.
Read NRCHA’s current rules for judging criteria and event procedures.