Animal Welfare . . .
The question will most likely always be asked ‘Is Rodeo Cruel to the Animal’ ? To any person not familiar, misinformed or perhaps just ignorant to the fact, the answer may be yes, but to the person being brought up with, living, breathing and sleeping this talented sport, the answer would be a definite NO!
These people will tell you with sincere admiration that our Rodeo animals are not abused, neglected, tormented, harassed or frenzied in any circumstances.
These animals are professionally trained athletes who are respected outright by their competitors for their character, strength, courage and athleticism. They are each named, have individual traits, and are basically just very big pets adored by the rodeoing people. Without our animal friends in all events, Rodeo would be another piece of Australian history. To mis-treat them in any form would be a disaster for our sport and an act despised by the rodeo community.
For a competitor to achieve a high score in rough stock events, his horse or bull must be in top condition. 50% of his ride is scored on himself and 50% on the bull or horses ability to buck. An animal in poor condition or mis-treated can and will not perform to the best of its ability and will not provide a high score. We have nothing at all to benefit from ill treating our stock only a great deal to loose.
Animal Activists would have you believe that we tie a flank strap around the horse or bulls genitals to make it buck !!! This is a complete fallacy. Yes, we do use a flank strap, it is however tied around the horse or bulls hip area known as the flank which is described in the Oxford dictionary as “side of body between ribs & hip”. This is in no way associated with the animals genitalia ! If this were true, what would happen when using a mare (female) bucking horse. Where then would this apparatus be tied ? The facts are that the flank is padded with sheeps wool lining, is pulled no tighter that a normal truser belt and positioned in the same area.
If animals were being ill-treated, in the rodeo environment, we would have been banned many, many years ago. The RSPCA has attended rodeos throughout Tasmania for numerous years, have been behind the scenes in back yards and bucking chutes and witnessed first hand its procedures, handling, yarding, and saddling of stock. If these fallacy’s made by Animal Activists were remotely true, the RSPCA would have seen Rodeo banned long ago.
Yes, unfortunately for everyone, accidents can and will happen and afterwards there are a lot of ‘What If’s’ and ‘If Only’ as we all try and change the inevitable.
The same applies to the Rodeo Community as does for everyday life. We do not wish or intend for our animals to injure or harm themselves, but accidents will happen. To help avoid injury, rough stock and timed event stock are inspected by a veterinarian before and after competition. Any signs of ailment, injury or neglect voids that stock un-usable, immediately withdrawn from competition and if necessary treated.
Animal Activists insinuate that we intentionally harm our animals and that we are that callous and hard that it bears no effect on us. This could not be further from the truth. No one more so is affected by the loss of a professional athlete than the Rodeo Community itself. Perhaps if these over emotional and mis-informed extremists took the time to get to know rodeo life and its members, they may form a different opinion to the one they depict to the public and gain a better understanding of rural life in general !
Find Out More on ‘Animal Welfare’ in Rodeo. Visit the ‘Island Rodeo Circuit’ website at http://www.rodeotasmania.com/index.php Annette Reed a respected community member and life long rodeo associate has wrote an expansive and detailed story through personal experience. Well worth reading
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