As an animal rights advocate I have witnessed first-hand the suffering of animals used at rodeo. I have taken note of the trauma experienced by young calves who are used in calf-roping and may be ridden by young children.

These calves are extremely stressed, evidenced by the open, frothing mouths. They demonstrate the ‘flight or fight’ mode, fleeing in fear while being chased down in an arena by a man on a horse. When the lasso jerks them back they are jolted off their young hooves, resulting in their spines being buckled. They are then flung to the ground and trussed up like a turkey.

While the ‘cowboy’ (if you can call him that) raises his hand in victory, the calf is immobilised by the ropes, fearful for his life. It really is no fun for the calves. Their eyes roll back, a spectacle of fear and pain. The calf has become little more than an object for the entertainment of others.

We need to clearly focus on the experience of the animals themselves and not the glory of rodeo competitors. These animals are unwilling participants in what is essentially a modern day travelling circus.

Young calves do not belong in an arena being chased. I have raised many young rescue calves and know they are sensitive and intelligent animals. It has occurred to me more than once that what calves endure in rodeo is part of a larger process of abuse and trauma in the farming industry.

Lynn Charlton of Anti Rodeo Action NZ recently made this point, drawing the connection between the farming industry and rodeo. Farmers supply calves to rodeo and are often involved in judging, competing, and organising rodeo.

The proponents of rodeo like to downplay the sheer terror felt by the animals who are forced to participate in rodeo. A recent opinion piece by Rodeo Spokesperson Michael Laws suggested that rodeos are not cruel. He points to the Rodeo Code of Welfare and scientific evidence to say Rodeos pose a low risk of animal injury.

I think that this is a bullish (excuse the pun) and short-sighted overview of the experiences of animals at rodeo.

I was interested to note that Michael Laws says veterinarians are part of the group of bodies involved in overseeing animal welfare at rodeos. However, he misses out that the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) has strong reservations about the treatment of animals at rodeo.

In fact, NZVA note the paucity of research on animal welfare at rodeos and say that while they were involved in writing the Rodeo Code of Welfare they have reservations. Their webpage notes, "we are concerned about events that involve the use of young animals (Rope and Tie) or involve forcible physical restraint of mature animals that may result in musculoskeletal injuries and pain (Steer Wrestling, Team Roping)."

Rodeo folk love their ‘sport’. They call it harmless, rural fun and site the rural/urban divide as one of the reasons there is opposition to rodeo.

However, opposition to rodeo among the public is growing. Michael Laws is so concerned about public opposition that he has spearheaded a $25 000 campaign to try and improve its public image.

The July 2017 AGM minutes of the New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys Association are publicly available here. They detail Law’s publicity campaign as well as his vehement attack on anti-rodeo folk. He is cited as saying, “anti-rodeo people are crazies and do not put up rational debates. There is nothing we can do to counter their craziness.”

This is a strident and unintelligent response. He loses all credibility (if indeed he ever had any) when he suggests that all who oppose rodeo are crazy. Rodeo is opposed by the SPCA, the Green Party, various Labour Party members, the Veterinary Association, SAFE and at least 63,000 New Zealanders who signed a petition against it .

Laws fears that a private members bill against rodeo will be put in by a Green MP – likening it to the anti-smacking bill. Laws is a proponent of smacking.

Times are changing – and public opinion on violence toward animals and children is shifting. Just because you are bigger or more powerful than an animal or a child, it does not give you the right to assault them. We need to connect the dots and see that there is no place for violence of any kind in a civilised society.
Violence toward animals begets violence to humans. When I attended the Kihikihi rodeo in 2016 I was illegally detained and assaulted by rodeo club member John Taylor. He put me in an arm bar twice and held me hostage to prevent me filming calves. John Taylor was not only a rodeo enthusiast but also a non-sworn member of police. He was convicted of male assault female.

To everyone who thinks rodeo is a bit of harmless rural fun I urge you to consider the situation from the animal’s point of view. It’s easy to dismiss the trauma these animals are going through.

Most of us love animals. The animals involved in rodeo are just as deserving of our kindness and compassion as any other.

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