FARMINGTON – Three riders steadied their horses as they waited for two other riders to settle a herd of 30 cows, each wearing a number around its neck, at the far end of the show ring.

It’s the first main event Sunday, opening day of Farmington Fair, and rain is falling steadily.

The riders are wearing cowboy hats, and some have donned Aussie-style raincoats, giving them a look of modern-day cowboys and cowgirls.

The riding team’s eyes scan the numbers on the cattle as they wait for a number between zero and nine to light up on the timer screen. Three cows each wear the same number in a range from zero to nine.

Once judge Debbie Little of Cumberland sees that the animals are ready, she raises her orange flag straight up.

“The flag is up; the team may ride,” Cindy Bickford of Anson announces over the speaker system. Number 4 shows up on the screen.

“Four, four, four,” Bickford announces. The clock starts running.

The team advances.

They have 60 seconds in this open penning event to find the three cows with the Number 4 on them and get them separated from the herd and into a pen at the opposite end of the ring. At the same time, they need to keep the rest of the herd back behind the foul line.

The riders direct their horses in some fast-paced moves, as they sidestep across in front of the cows, and do some stops and starts prompted by squeezes of their legs and tugs on the reins.

One rider separates a cow from the group, yelling “hey, hey, hey,” as it chases the animal toward the opposite end of the pen.

Another rider cuts another cow with a four from the herd and chases it the same way.

The buzzer sounds at the 30-second mark as time flashes by.

As it approaches 48 seconds, the team decides to go for getting two in the pen.

Quick sidesteps of a horse guided by some skilled direction of the rider, some starts and stops, some hollering, and the team gets two cows in the pen and raise their hands.

Two of those riders head back to the herd to again settle the cows and the next team enters the ring.

The riders get the go ahead, start quickly and have two No. 3 cows separated within 20 seconds. They get the third and all three into the pen within 45 seconds.

The Central Maine Team Penning Association organized in 1995 has about 300 members, half of them active riders.

“Anybody can do it,” member Raylene McCubrey of Gray said. “Older folks are doing it. We’ve got kids doing it. It can be done slow; it can be done fast. It all depends.”

Each rider gets to ride four times in one category, as long as they change the make-up of the team, co-show Manager Paul Ripa of Farmington said.

This day has brought teams from Canada down to the arena. Directions in French and English blend together.

There are 120 cattle in all, divided into four herds of 30.

Ralph “Ras” Caldwell from Caldwell Family Farm in Turner provides the cattle.

He and his family don’t train the cows for these events. “What we do is give them nutrition and grain to keep them healthy,” Caldwell said. “We cheer for the cows.”

Every seventh or eighth run, the herd is changed.

Most of the horses are quarter-horses bred to work with cattle, Ripa said.

“You use whatever your horse’s training is to the best of your ability,” he said.

It’s not a cheap sport, he added. If you don’t have to board a horse, it costs about $200 a month; if you do have to board, it’s $300 to $350, Ripa said.

“We all just love being cowboys for a day,” Ripa said. “When you’re out there doing it, it’s really a thrill.”

Go and Do:

What: Farmington Fair

When: Most events begin 9 a.m.; now through Saturday, Sept. 20

Exhibition Hall open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Fairgrounds, High Street, Farmington

Admission: Age 12 and up, $5; age 8 to 11, $1; 7 and under, free.

Special days: Agricultural Education Day, ride specials, $15, 5-10 p.m., Monday, Sept. 15; Senior Citizens Day Tuesday, Sept. 16; Ride special, $17, 1-9 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17; Demolition Derby, 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 20.