Rodeo

Comment

Rodeo is an entertainment, which is inherently bad for the animals and for the sake of the animals involved it is better not to support them by attending or buying souvenirs etc.

Countries where rodeo takes place
Rodeos are carried out in the USA, Canada, Latin America (foremost Mexico and Brazil), Australia and New Zealand, Asia (Philippines) and Europe (Portugal, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, France, Hungary and Italy).

Animals used in rodeo

Cattle, Horses Pigs and Goats are used in European rodeo. In the USA pigs and sheep are also used.

A treadmill for the animals

The same animals are used again and again in rodeos, having to perform several times in one event. Afterwards they are loaded up and transported to the next event. Frequent transporting is stressful. The animals live in small pens for days on end, before, during and after the rodeo.

Animal injuries

As a result of the abuse of the rodeo on the animals, many injuries occur; broken bones, contusions, concussions, skin-abrasions and internal bleeding are quite common. Some injuries can result in an animal's death. Some disciplines can cause broken necks and spines.

To make the animals buck (The flank strap)

This is a strap put around the lower abdomen that is pulled tight when the horse leaves the chute. This is a very sensitive area on a horse's body and he has no alternative but to buck as a reflex action. On occasions they are so stressed out with this action against them, that they rear up and collapse before leaving the chute. As soon as the flank strap is taken off, the animals stop bucking

In the case of the bulls the flank strap is knotted tight before it leaves the chute, this puts pressure on the urethra

Other tricks

Spurs are used as an additional means to make the animals appear wild. These are dug into the horses neck and flank and although they are not always sharp they cause subcutaneous damage. The use of electro shocking devices is forbidden in Germany, but quite common around the world.

Disciplines

Bareback riding
Horses are ridden without a saddle; the rider has to stay on for 8 seconds

Saddled bronc riding
Horses are ridden with a saddle; the rider has to stay on for 8 seconds

Horse tripping
A Mexican specialty, horses are thrown to the ground

Bull riding
Bulls are ridden for 8 seconds

Wild horse race
A team of three men tries to break a horse, one has to be on the horse in the end

Steer wrestling
A steer is wrestled to the ground

Calf roping
A calf is roped from horseback and thrown to the ground

Breakaway roping
A calf is roped from horseback, the rope falls from the saddle

Team roping
A calf is roped by two riders and thrown to the ground

Steer tripping
Larger calves are thrown to the ground and dragged through the sand

Ribbon roping
A young bull is caught with a rope; a ribbon has to be taken off his horns

Barrel racing
Horses race around barrels at high speed

Pole bending
Horses race around poles at high speed

Mutton bustin
Sheep are ridden by young children

Wild Cow Milking
Teams of men chase a herd of non-dairy cows around the arena, forcibly hold and try to milk them

Wild boar chasing
Pigs or piglets are greased and chased through the ring by children