Rodeo, one might ask...what is a rodeo? A rodeo is an event or competition where cowboys and cowgirls show off their skills with and around animals. Rodeos are competitions between cowgirls and cowboys to see who can rope and ride the best. The judges will time the events and whoever has the shortest time or meets certain time limits is the winner and will get prizes or money. Rodeo isn’t just a competition and form of entertainment, it is a sport and a career. For some people rodeo is the only thing they do and that’s how they’re making a living for the family. Rodeos in the United States are a positive and safe form of entertainment for families to enjoy because rodeos do not abuse, but care for and provide treatment for animals and participants. …show more content…
Many people object to the rodeo on the grounds that it is abusive to the animals to the point of killing the animals. People all around the world have said for ages that all the rodeos do is abuse the animals that are in it. (Rodeo Cruelty). They claim that animals pay the price, from being electrically prodded to make horses and bulls appear wild to the countless injuries animals suffer from contestants who only care about beating the clock and winning cash before moving on to the next rodeo in the next city. Anyone with a heart knows it's wrong to clothesline a baby animal, body slam it to the ground, tie its legs so it can’t move, and drag it by the neck. They say that most of the horses that were unwanted were the most excelled in the rodeo. These situations are not an accurate portrayal of the reality of rodeos. While it is true that these events might happen, especially in other countries, the primary concern of almost all participants and staff has always been the safety and well being of all creatures involved in the rodeo. The animals that are roped and tied are used to these events because that is how cowboys on the ranch gather the animals to care for them, and tag them. Most rodeo fans think that the abuse begins as soon as they get to the arena (Rodeo Facts Unseen Abuse). They also believe that after the rodeo, the animals go to the slaughter house. Fans think that the animals don’t get fed or get watered regularly either. “While the fear of the animals may seem “entertaining” to the audience and make the cowboys appear more impressive, it is just that--fear. The animals experience panic, fear of pain, and high levels of anxiety prior to their "performances." Rodeos intentionally cause these reactions in the animals to rile the crowd and make the event more "entertaining". The tools used to incite the animals include the “hotshot,” an electric prod used to cause intense pain which scares the animal into displaying abnormally dramatic reactions, and metal spurs and “bucking straps” that burn the animal’s abdomen and groin area and cause him to “buck”, which can lead to back and leg injuries”(Rodeo Facts Unseen Abuse). Fans have argued that rodeo is abusing the animals and others have argued that it’s not abuse to them.
There are a lot of people who absolutely love the rodeo and come to watch and support it. Then on the other hand, there are those people that hate it and are totally against it because they believe it is abusive to the animals. Without the animals, rodeos would not be possible; therefore, the care of the animals is of the utmost importance to all participants and staff. A writer for Beef Magazine.com says, “Rodeos put animal health and welfare in front of fans. How rodeo has used veterinary information to prepare for—and respond to—a range of questions can be an example for the beef industry.” (Ryan, 2013). This proves that during the rodeos they show that the animal’s health is being taken care of and that they do it in front of fans so they can see what all the veterinarian is doing and how they are taking care of them. It’s significant because people are saying animals are abused and aren’t taking care of but the veterinarians are taking care of the animals right in front of them. People that go to the rodeo and watch and if they don’t have any experience of what’s going on or the agriculture of it they target for animal activist. (Ryan 2013). Animal activists are people who don’t take care of animals, but claim to care. Instead, they abuse them. They have no feelings for animals at …show more content…
all. John Barnes is the livestock superintendent of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, so he is in charge of the bulls, calves and broncs that are brought in for the rodeo. Before each rodeo, Barnes starts by telling the fans that each and every rodeo is a performance and animal health is critical for humans and animals. Barnes says: Personally, the reasons for taking good care of the animal’s health are so important to me... I’ve been raised around livestock, and they only perform as well as they feel. They have to be at their peak health to perform at their peak ability. The cattle break from the box faster when they feel good. It’s the same with the horses and the bulls. (qtd. In Ryan 2013) During the rodeo there is always a veterinarian onsight at every event. Before the event they have meetings with the athletes and animal trainers. Then they also have one after the event to see if any changes or health needs to be fixed on the animal. Everything that they do at the rodeo helps them be prepared and helps prevent injuries from happening. Staff and participants at rodeo competitions are concerned with the safety and wellness of all, including the animals. A journalist from the BBC says that rodeos aren’t abusing the animals and that animals are well taken care of.(Robertson, 2012) She emphasizes that “to say that animal welfare organizations and rodeos do not see eye-to-eye is an understatement. For one side, it is a cruel act of animal abuse. For the other, it is an entertaining and competitive sports event that is part of their culture” (Robertson, 2012). Rodeos are continually improving, and they have many safety stipulations. If the onsight veterinarian finds an animal that is injured or not healthy, they remove the animal from competition immediately. Every precaution that can be taken to ensure the health, safety and wellness of the animals and athletes is considered and put into place in some manner. For example, the spurs the cowboys and cowgirls use they are not sharp so they won’t hurt the animal and on the steers they wrap their horns so they can protect their heads. The welfare of the animals is the top priority. Therefore, even though bullfighting was a part of the rodeo a long, long time ago in the olden days, it was removed because people were trying to kill them and that’s not the goal for the rodeo. The goal is to keep the animals safe while entertaining the audience and providing lively competition for the athletes. Rodeo’s not only about the enjoyment and fun of the competition, but it’s the fact that it’s positive to for everyone.
The sport of rodeo is a great, positive sport for anyone to participate in. According to C.J. Aragon, almost every single student who wins has a few characteristics that separate him/her from everyone else. Young children, teenagers and adults that are in the rodeo have goals and know what they are and so do those people around them, whether it be associates, friends to family. In the rodeo if the kids lost they just used it as a learning experience and they know what to do better next time to win. (Aragon, 2017). With them having positive attitudes, it makes them work harder for what they want and to keep learning. They are able to be coached and taught better with the positive attitudes instead of the negative ones. Having them have great positive attitudes when they mess up on the pattern or didn’t stay on the bull or bronc, makes it easier for them, the coach and any other contestant around them. In the rodeo, you become a role model and a leader for people, whether it’s kids younger, same age or even older than you. In the rodeo, they don’t focus on the winning or the competition, they focus on what they want to accomplish in the arena while they're out there performing (Aragon, 2017). Overall rodeo is a great character building activity for children, teens and
adults. Each event in the rodeo has its own style of competition, and rewards that each participant must work hard to master. For example: a bareback rider begins his ride with his feet placed above the break of the horse's shoulder. If the cowboy's feet are not in the correct position when the horse hits the ground on its first jump out of the chute, the cowboy has failed to "mark out" the horse properly and is disqualified. Throughout the eight-second ride, the cowboy must grasp the rigging with only one hand. Optimum spurring action begins with the rider in control, his heels at the horse's neck. He then pulls his feet, toes turned outward, to the horse's withers until the cowboy's feet are nearly touching the bareback rigging. A rider is disqualified if he touches his equipment, himself or the animal with his free hand. The rider is judged on his control during the ride and on his spurring technique. The score also is based on the rider's "exposure" to the strength of the horse. In addition, the horse's performance accounts for half the potential score. (Rodeo Event Description para. 4) For this event there have to be certain skills mastered to successfully engage in competition. They have to make sure they stay balanced and have good posture. They also need a good riding form because if not they could hurt them self and the horse. Bareback riding allows you to bond with the horse when you do these skills. When riding bareback in the rodeo, the competitors need to know and read the movements of the horse, so they can position themselves and stay on. This does help the riders get strength when doing this. Bareback riding really helps mature kids because getting to do bareback riding in the rodeo really shows them they can succeed in life and how if they just set their minds to it, they can accomplish anything in life. The next example I’m going to talk about is barrel racing. although barrel racing may look less harrowing than some other rodeo events, it certainly is not for the faint-hearted. The horsemanship skills and competitive drive in this fast and furious event make it a crowd favorite. In barrel racing, the contestant enters the arena at full speed on a sprinting American Quarter Horse. As they start the pattern the horse and rider trigger an electronic eye that starts the clock. Then the racer rides a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels positioned in the arena, and sprints back out of the arena, tripping the eye and stopping the clock as she leaves. The contestant can touch or even move the barrels, but receives a five-second penalty for each barrel that is overturned. With the margin of victory measured in hundredths of seconds, knocking over one barrel spells disaster for a barrel-racing competitor. (Rodeo Event Description para. 4) For the sport barrel racing, keeping your balance is the most important thing. Barrel racing really shows talent of several people. It challenges you to bond with your horse and it’s a sense of accomplishment. For some people barrel racing is a very addictive sport, you never get tired of it. Barrel racing is nothing but a fun journey and a great adventure. With barrel racing it is also a great way for you to bond with your kids and husband or wife. For my next example, I’m going to talk about steer wrestling. Wrestling a steer requires more than brute strength. The successful steer wrestler, or bulldogger, is strong, but he also understands the principles of leverage. The steer wrestler on horseback starts behind a barrier, and begins his chase after the steer has been given a head start. If the bulldogger leaves too soon and breaks the barrier, he receives a 10-second penalty. The steer wrestler is assisted by a hazer, another cowboy on horseback tasked with keeping the steer running in a straight line. When the bulldogger’s horse pulls even with the steer, he eases down the right side of the horse and reaches for the steer’s horns. After grasping the horns, he digs his heels into the dirt. As the steer slows, the cowboy turns the animal, lifts up on its right horn and pushes down with his left hand in an effort to tip the steer over. After the catch, the steer wrestler must either bring the steer to a stop or change the direction of the animal’s body before the throw or is disqualified. The clock stops when the steer is on his side with all four legs pointing the same-direction. Anyone that wants to steer wrestle can do it, all they need is the strength. It does take a lot of muscles to do this event though. Cowboys that steer wrestle work and train night a day and work really hard to get to where they are now. It takes a lot of patience, not only for this event, but any event in the rodeo (Rodeo Events). In the end, rodeo is a great thing for people to get into if you love having the fun, friendly competition and getting to meet new people and new friends. Animals and participants are well cared for and provided treatment if hurt in rodeos, which makes it fun, safe and positive entertainment in the rodeo. Overall, the safety of the riders and animals is of the utmost importance and will always be considered more important than the competition and the fans. This allows the fans to have the best experience possible. So next time the rodeo comes to town, go to it and have some fun, enjoy the atmosphere and watch the cowboys and cowgirls kick some butt against each other.
Although it’s entertaining to watch these animals perform, most people don’t take the time to think about the issues that the companies that are involved in this type of entertainment encounter. The frequently asked questions of how
Rodeos take place either inside large buildings, or outside in dirt arenas. The events in a rodeo can range from bucking bulls, steer wrestling, and roping. Each event has their own rules as well as regulations. These rules keep the cowboys, and livestock safe when competing against each other. However, some people may consider rodeos as a form of animal cruelty. It is understandable why it can be seen this way because everything happens really fast, and it is hard to keep up with what’s happening in the arena. It would also be really easy to think it was hurting the animals if a person simply didn’t know everything that goes into each event. Rodeos are not animal cruelty due to all the rules, and the effort that goes into the care of each
Animal abuse can be looked at in many different forms but it’s mostly up to you to determine if you agree or disagree with it. Many people believe rodeos should be outlawed because of the visible abuse. It could be from a steer getting drug behind a horse or from probes that make bucking horses and bulls buck. Others believe that all actions are taken to insure the safety of the animals and the contestants. The real question is what do you believe?
Animal activists and various animal rights/animal welfare support groups have been publicly declaring their beliefs against rodeos since the late 1800’s. Rodeo abolitionists believe PRCA members and contestants have always and always will mistreat their livestock. To support their opinion, activists use information such as the injury/death rate, veterinarians ignoring injured animals, and the belief that wranglers torment the animals into performing. The injury/death percentage is very low in PRCA rodeos. “PRCA has continuously called upon on-site, independent rodeo veterinarians at PRCA-sanctioned events
eople riding bulls, wrestling steers, and roping calves all in one sport? What kind of game is this? It’s called rodeo. Rodeo consists of all different kinds of events to choose from, and can be competed in all over the United States, even Canada. These events include bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, team roping, calf roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, and for the girls, barrel racing. This sport is becoming very unique in today’s world. It opens a window to the past, but still provides an exciting atmosphere.
More than 100,000 U.S horses are sent to slaughter each year for their meat. The meat is then shipped overseas to Europe for human consumption. Horse slaughter is a big issue in the equine community. Many people in the equine community say it’s inhuman by the way the horses are killed, but many equestrians also say its moral due to population control. so which is it, is horse slaughter bad or good? This report will look at what horses usually go to slaughter, how the U.S and other countries view horses, how different people view horses and what would happen if slaughter ended.
There is a very important distinction when dealing with animal welfare and animal rights. After learning to tell the difference between the two, it is easier to distinguish the organization that wants to help animals and the people who wish to end the use of animals. Even though there are different groups that support different agendas for the sport, both should have the same goal. Animal rights are organizations that seek to end the ownership and use of animals. The largest of those groups are The Humane Society and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. There is a ‘Pro-Rodeo’ organization under the guise ‘Friends of Rodeo.’ They claim to be the only organization solely devoted to protecting and promoting the sport of rodeo, all of rodeo regardless of association affiliation. “What rodeo proponents fail to acknowledge is that rodeos harm animals that are forced to perform in a competition that is essentially a display of human domination over other species” (The Rodeo 1).
A lot of people these days say that horse riding is not a sport. I beg to differ, often, the only exposure they've had to equestrianism are professionals is on television, whose riding is so skilled they make it look effortless but for a typical rider its very hard. The reason why horse riding is a sport because you don’t just sit there, and you can compete in shows.
While the definition of a sport may vary by the person, the dictionary definition for a sport can be best described as, “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment” (Oxford Dictionary). Cheerleading has been a topic of an ongoing controversial debate as to whether or not it should be recognized as a sport. Players that engage in sports, such as, football, basketball, and baseball all display a genuine liking for their sport, which generally emphasizes why they take part in the activity. Similarly, cheerleaders have this same mindset, but society tends to overlook their passion through the generation of the argument that cheerleading does not require
When therapeutic riding became popular, results have exceeded what many didn't think would be possible. emotionally, children have a hard time bonding with other people and peers, therefore, bonding a child to a horse can help a child understand and begin to trust and bond with other people they interact with daily. therapy instructors also bond with children and they see throughout lessons that children need repetitions and they need the instructor to show them what to do on both sides, not just one which will help the child improve their riding. when you do things on both sides, it teaches the child that they do not have to do things only one way and it strengthens their left and right side of the brain. helping children, physically, mentally and emotionally is beneficial to society because it gives people a chance to do good in life by helping children and it gives the children to help society better itself and spread knowledge of many diseases that don't really have a
Just as the well being of humans, horses have a right to the same care and respect. We cannot just use them as entertainment. But as you will see, sadly, that is not the case. Approximately 12,000 foals are bread for specifically horse racing each year in England and Ireland. And normally only 50% are acceptable for racing. The rest of the horses are either sent to slaughterhouses, shot, or lead in a life of abuse. *(see down below) Many a cases show horse meat being sold as "beef" or "pork". Many fast food restaurants buy the horse meat because it is a lot cheaper, and consumers can hardly tell the difference between the two. It is illegal to sell horse meat as another type of meat. So it is not just awful, but illegal. Have you ever had horse meat? You could have in your “beef” or “pork” (because they sell horse meat as those in Canada) but let’s hope not, because it is poisonous to humans. The meat we eat day to day could be horse meat, and poisoning our bodies. Moreover, years of inbreeding cause the horses legs to be small and flimsy. Their ankles are the same sizes as humans, and their full bodies weigh more than 1,000 pounds. If they can hardly hold their own weight, how should they be able to hold the weight of their riders? Also,...
“There are raw statistics that cheerleading accounts for two-thirds of all catastrophic injuries among female high school athletes. Honestly, cheerleading isn’t as safe as you might think, which was one of the reasons New York State - following 34 other states and Washington D.C. - reclassified it as an official school sport last month.”(Hickey, Walt) Competitive cheerleading is a sport. Many people were upset about this accusation because in their minds, cheerleading isn’t a sport. These people believe it’s a club or activity there to bring a spirit or entertain the men. Others say that cheerleading takes hard work, determination, and effort. To add to that, there isn’t a solid definition of an “official” sport, but there are some points
Equestrian Riding, also known as horseback riding is a sport. Some people may argue that is not because they think the horse is doing all of the work. However that is not true. People do not realize that it takes a lot of to ride a horse and the rider does a lot of work as well and its good exercise too.
Executive Summary Every 60 seconds, an animal is abused. Dogs, cats, horses, and many other types of animals are being neglected and tortured everyday, yet resulting in few and minor consequences for the perpetrators. Animal abuse is prevalent in the United States and has been an ongoing issue since the 1970's, and prior to. Society as a whole has chosen to avoid the facts and arguments about animal cruelty, because to some it is seen as acceptable and typical. It becomes much more frowned upon when people actually see the results of the cruelty, especially in the media.
The world is constantly trying to invent and find new forms of entertainment. This being said, people often find pleasure in watching animals. When thinking about how animals are used in the entertainment industry, it seems that in most cases they are being mistreated. Owners of such animals that are neglected lack the care and knowledge to provide for them. This is a social issue because not only do we use animals for our own enjoyment, but we uproot them from their natural habitats and take them away from their families.