Anti-rodeo protesters will gather outside the Warkworth Rodeo on New Year’s Day for the sixth year in a row.

Animal advocacy organisation Direct Animal Action (DAA) are coordinating the protest and expect up to 100 people to attend.

Warkworth Rodeo is held at the Auckland Council-owned Warkworth Showgrounds and the Rodney Local Board decides who gets to lease the land.

The Rodney Local Board is the last local board in Auckland which continues to give approval for rodeo events to take place on council-owned land.

In October representatives from DAA presented a 5000 signature petition to the Rodney Local Board calling on them to stop all rodeo events on council-owned land under their management.

“The board told us that their hands were tied and that the Warkworth Rodeo would go ahead at council-owned Warkworth Showgrounds this rodeo season and indefinitely,” says Apollo Taito spokesperson for Direct Animal Action.

“Needless to say we’re disappointed in the board and we question why Auckland Council continues to allow animal abuse for entertainment on their land.”

DAA are also calling for the Labour Government to follow through on their 2017 pre-election promise to ban the worst aspects of rodeo.

“Voters have given Labour a clear mandate to govern and the Green Party, in a Cooperation Agreement with Labour, has policy that would see rodeo banned.

“There are no more hand-brakes for Labour to use as excuses. Action from the Labour Government to end rodeo is long overdue.”

The Warkworth Rodeo protest will happen at 11am on Friday 01 January 2021 at the entrance to the Warkworth Showgrounds.

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