top of page
Bull.png

Rodeos

How Rodeos impact animals

"During the course of my lifetime, I have been a farmer, a bareback rodeo bronc rider, a large animal veterinarian, a medical researcher, a meat inspector, a state veterinarian, and a prosecutor. Based upon my extensive large animal experience, I have concluded that rodeo events are inherently cruel."

~ Peggy W. Larson, DVM, MS, JD

Fast Facts

Psychological stress

ELICITING FEAR FOR ENTERTAINMENT

Almost every event held at rodeos relies on eliciting a fear response in animals. The spectacle of the rodeo event, calf roping, steer chasing, and bull or bronco riding all depend on the animal fleeing, fighting or attempting to escape the human in pursuit. This is a frightening situation for a prey animal to be placed in, and it only creates the desired spectacle if the animal acts in this way.

 

"Horses and cattle are prey animals, and their reaction to being ridden in this way is the same as their reaction to being attacked by a predator, a situation where they experience increased fear, stress and panic." RSPCA Australia

 

Aside from the terrifying pursuit, animals find themselves isolated from herd members in the middle of a clearing (the ring), surrounded by loud music and jeering crowds, making it difficult to ascertain where the threat is coming from. 

HORSE EYE.png
calves(1).png

Painful Equipment

JABBED, POKED AND ROPED

The equipment used on animals in rodeos has the sole purpose of making the animal participants behave in a manner that suits us. They are devices that, by the nature of their use, cause distress, discomfort, pain, and in some cases, injury and even death.

 

Flank straps - The RSPCA states that using flank straps (straps pulled tightly around a horse or bull's sensitive belly and genitalia as they leave the chute, causing them to buck) is aversive (or harmful) to animals. Despite this, no legal requirements in any jurisdiction restrict their use.

 

Spurs - Spurs are metal devices worn on the heels of a rider's boots. They are pressed into the sides of the animal being ridden, causing pressure, discomfort and, in some cases, pain. They can cause blunt trauma to the sides of horses and bulls ridden in rodeos.

 

Ropes - Ropes are frequently used in rodeo events to catch animals (typically calves or steers) fleeing from pursuit in the arena. The force of being lassoed by the neck can cause calves to become airborne and then crash to the ground. The pressure on their neck is constant as the other end of the rope is anchored on the rider's horse, which either remains stationary or moves backwards (in some instances dragging the animal by their neck). This can cause abrasions, choking, broken bones and even death.

​

Electric prodders - The RSPCA states that "Electric prodders are aversive to animals and should only be used when human or animal safety is jeopardised. It is generally accepted that electric prodders should never be used on horses due to their flighty nature and risk of injury. Prodders are not permitted in other circumstances, including transporting horses. There is no justification for prodders to be applied to animals used for the purpose of sport and entertainment." 

 

Despite this, electric prodders are routinely used at rodeos for moving animals and to increase the fear and agitation of animals in the chutes before events.

Physical Harm

PUT AT RISK FOR FUN

Animals used in rodeos face high risks of injury. In most rodeo events, animals flee from humans or equipment or are ridden while pursuing another animal at speed. It is common for animals to collide with fixed objects or land awkwardly when trying desperately to escape their torment or flee to safety.

 

Calf roping - calves are chased from a chute, caught via a rope around the neck and pulled backwards suddenly before their legs are tied together and they are flung to the ground. Injury risks include damage to the calf's neck (soft tissue, windpipe and spine), bruising, broken ribs and choking.

 

Bronco or Bull riding - Rodeo horses and bulls repeatedly buck as an instinctive reaction when a flank strap is pulled tightly around their sensitive underbelly as they leave the chute. It is common to see horses and bulls hurl themselves at solid objects to rid themselves of the flank straps. Injury risks include broken legs, necks, bruising or even heart attacks.

 

Steer wrestling - In this event, a competitor on horseback chases a steer released from the chute, then jumps off the horse to grab the steer by the horns and twists their neck 180 degrees, forcing the steer to the ground. Injury risks include damage to the animal's windpipe, muscle, and horns, tissue bruising or death from breaking their neck.

horses.png
Bull.png

Risk of death

FRIGHTENED OR FIGHTING TO DEATH

In fleeing from torment in a frightening, confined area, animals used in rodeos are at a high risk of injury and even death.

It is not uncommon for bulls and horses to break legs when bucking to try to escape the flank strap or colliding into solid objects or fencing trying to flee, in panic, the loud, frightening arena.

 

Calves used in calf roping can easily have their necks broken or be choked to death, and steers used for steer wrestling events also face death as a person jumping on them from horseback twists their neck 180 degrees, sometimes breaking it.

​

When animals are no longer able to be used for rodeo performances they are typically sent to slaughter, usually well before their natural lifespan is reached.

Odds are stacked

NOT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

Rodeos aren't a level playing field between the willing human participants and the animals they rely on to create the spectacle.

 

Humans willingly sign up to compete; they must wear safety gear and helmets and use tools like distraction by other people to avoid injury should they fall from the animal they are riding.

 

It's a different story for the animal participants. Cattle, Horses, and Sheep are all herd animals who find comfort in their flocks. In rodeo events, they are separated from their flock, isolated in a fenced-in clearing with no shelter, no chance for escape, and surrounded by loud music and jeering crowds. Bulls typically have the tips of their horns removed to prevent them from using them to defend themselves. The equipment used on animals in rodeos has the sole purpose of making the animal participants behave in a manner that suits us.

 

In an ironic attempt to prove how we can use sheer force to overcome these animals, humans stack the odds in our order to win.

Cavlves(2).png
Cavlves(1).png

NO CONSEQUENCES

LACK OF SCRUTINY OR ACCOUNTABILITY

Rodeos are banned in the ACT, the UK and parts of Europe and America.

 

Little to no oversight exists for the remaining Australian states that still allow rodeos. Rodeos are self-regulating, the public is not informed of deaths and injuries of animals.

 

Only New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia have developed regulations to safeguard the welfare of animals used in rodeos. These codes of conduct have been widely criticised as insufficient by the RSPCA and other welfare organisations for several reasons, not least being that code breaches cannot be prosecuted.

​

"In fact, we do not actually have a breach of permit under our
legislation; so if they [rodeo organisers] do breach the permit
we cannot prosecute them. I think that was an oversight when
the regulations were first drafted" ~Ms Joyleen Farrelly, Execu1ive Officer of the South Australian Animal Welfare Office

 

Officials rarely scrutinise what happens at actual rodeo events, but training and practising for these events is undertaken on private properties and receives no oversight at all.

Buck the Rodeo

Our fun shouldn't come at the cost of someone elses fear

Today there are so many ways to celebrate and support our communities that don't rely on frightening or hurting animals.

​

Buck the Rodeo - Spare the calves, bulls, horses and even sheep a terrifying experience and risk of injury or death, by choosing to avoid rodeos and supporting your country community to move to kinder options.

Depositphotos_562841386_L.jpg

Kinder Options

Depositphotos_291664810_L.jpg

Music Festivals

Music festivals offer a kinder and more inclusive way to unite country communities. While rodeos can involve animal stress and potential harm, music festivals celebrate local talents and culture without putting animals at risk. Festivals provide a welcoming atmosphere for everyone, fostering a sense of community, joy, and togetherness. They showcase the best of rural life while embracing compassion for all, making them a truly harmonious choice for bringing communities together.

Mechanical Alternatives

Can't drop the bull? Using mechanical bulls and similar alternatives can offer a humane and entertaining option to replace live animals at rodeos. These mechanical rides provide the same thrilling experience for participants while eliminating the risk of animal stress, injury, or harm. This shift towards artificial alternatives ensures that rodeo events remain exciting and engaging while prioritizing the welfare and safety of both humans and animals, making for a more compassionate and responsible entertainment choice.

Depositphotos_401251980_L.jpg
bottom of page