Calgary rodeo condemned by U.K. MPs, activists

[nonlinear]

Although my parents have a large cattle/horse/bird dog ranch, and although I go to the chuckwagon races every year, I do agree that many of the rodeo events amount to animal cruelty. Call me a hypocrite, but I don't think it's right to pinch a stallion's testicles to make him buck OR to chase a poor helpless baby calf on horses and throw a rope around his neck, injuring the fuck out of his spinal cord.

we are supposed to be one of the most progressive countries on the planet... do we really think it's OK to get enjoyment from the pain and suffering of animals?

Many people excuse this kind of brutality as simply being a part of our culture. but you know what? I don't care if it's a part of our culture! in some cultures, it's OK to rape your multiple wives or stone gay people to death, and I don't agree with that either. what do you all think?

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...ps-motion.html

More than 50 members of Parliament in Britain have signed a motion condemning rodeo and calling on the Canadian government to take steps to stop the "immense cruelty" of events like the Calgary Stampede, which begins Friday.

The motion, tabled in the U.K. House of Commons Thursday, coincided with an announcement from the League Against Cruel Sports that it is pressuring travel companies to stop promoting package tours to the Calgary Stampede.

The Surrey, U.K.-based group is asking its supporters to write to the Canadian High Commission to voice their opposition to rodeo.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...#ixzz0t7ZwfeQ9

"Canada is a beautiful country with so much to do, there really is no need to be abusing animals in this way for entertainment," said a statement on the group's website.

"We know from our opinion polls that British tourists vote with their feet on other animal welfare issues, such as bullfighting, and we will be persuading them to do the same with the rodeo."

Rodeo has been banned in Britain since 1934.

The league also praised the Vancouver Humane Society for its condemnation this week of the rodeo at the Calgary Stampede.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...#ixzz0t7a1oUaj

On Monday, the Vancouver group published a $15,000 full-page advertisement in the Calgary Herald questioning the ethics of the calf-roping event.

The ad, which appeared in the newspaper's sports section, shows a calf on its side while a cowboy tries to tie its legs with a rope. The text asks: "That's entertainment?"

The Vancouver animal rights group said the British support is a first step toward internationalizing opposition to rodeos in Canada.

"Visitors to Canada just don't know about the cruelty involved in rodeo until they've attended one," said spokesman Peter Fricker. "We aim to make sure they know beforehand."

The Calgary Stampede claims to have a "disciplined approach to animal care," with the Calgary Humane Society and the Alberta SPCA monitoring events on-site each year, according to the Stampede website.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...#ixzz0t7a3zKlE

[Idratherbsidewayz]

I freaking love the rodeo. Every event is exciting and is a modern barbaric, man>animal show of force.

The bull that gets ridden also bangs a whole bunch of cows in the morning before his run. So if we're going to pretend that the stupidest of animals have human-like feelings, we should applaud that pimpdaddy cow-fucker.

As for the calves, at least they're not getting turned into veal!

[T-Dubbs]

Originally posted by Idratherbsidewayz
I freaking love the rodeo. Every event is exciting and is a modern barbaric, man>animal show of force.

The bull that gets ridden also bangs a whole bunch of cows in the morning before his run. So if we're going to pretend that the stupidest of animals have human-like feelings, we should applaud that pimpdaddy cow-fucker.

As for the calves, at least they're not getting turned into veal!

could be ALOT worse, no cow pussy, veal for dinner!

[broken_legs]

God made animals for people to fuck with.

[Masked Bandit]

Originally posted by Idratherbsidewayz


As for the calves, at least they're not getting turned into veal!

That comes later


Seriously though, who complains about rodeo in Calgary?

[codetrap]

I love this. Let's ban Rodeo but encourage UFC.

[core_upt]

I can see the 'traditional' appeal of chucks, bronco riding, even bullriding, but calf roping is retarded.
We need to evolve passed this, not just keep saying 'its our roots'... calf roping is a truly barbaric acts for entertainment purposes It's shameful to see our city support it.

Edit: reading the posts of people who know much more than me on the subject, I perhaps over-reacted to the apparent cruelty of the situation. Maybe calf roping appears more harmful then it is? I don't know shit about it, so maybe I should have STFU instead of posting what I thought I knew???

Still not down with Stampede - I think the whole thing is stupid, but then again, I don't like boxing, nor baseball, nor other sports. And it is way, way, way better than bullfighting, so at least we don't have that!

I will say that people who view an animals life or well being as something to entertain or please us strike me as being off - I can understand why people eat meat (as I do), but I do not see the entertainment in watching an animal suffer or die, so the 'their just animals' statements are stupid.

[Thaco]

bottom line is, millions of people from around the world support this by showing up at the stampede, don't like it? don't go? unless a substantial amount of people boycott, nothing will change.

[Dycker]

It's culture, but Calf Roping is also regulated to have little lasting effect on the calves.

Roping calves for branding will occur for many, many years to come and involve thousands of calves each spring in Alberta.

nonlinear, as a son of a rancher, do you believe that ranchers would intentionally harm (injuring spinal cords ) their products, fetching a lower return, just because??

And do you truly believe that the only reason people watch the rodeo is to only see animals suffer??

[bignerd]

Originally posted by Dycker
It's culture, but Calf Roping is also regulated to have little lasting effect on the calves.

Roping calves for branding will occur for many, many years to come and involve thousands of calves each spring in Alberta.

nonlinear, as a son of a rancher, do you believe that ranchers would intentionally harm (injuring spinal cords ) their products, fetching a lower return, just because??

And do you truly believe that the only reason people watch the rodeo is to only see animals suffer??

Ditto. Calf roping and steer wrestling occurs on thousands of farms and ranches every spring, has for hundreds of years and most likely will continue. Obviously on a ranch it is not done for entertainment but does have a purpose(castration, vaccinations, branding etc...).

[nonlinear]

Originally posted by bignerd
...on a ranch it is not done for entertainment but does have a purpose(castration, vaccinations, branding etc...).

my point exactly.

[Thaco]

Originally posted by nonlinear


my point exactly.

ok so if they cut the balls of every calf after they rope it then it would be ok?

[spikerS]

lol, i suppose next time I have to help my neighbors brand the calves, I should just ask them nicely to go over to the fire where the nice gents will stick a hot poker on their ass.

There is no damage to a calf in calf roping, there is always a danger of injury, but it rarely happens. and to add to that, it is usually the roper that gets hurt, not the calf. Fuck, most of the stock at the stampede get better treatment from their vets than you do at your doctors, and eat better than you!

If a cows spine was that delicate, steer wrestling would kill every steer. Have you ever seen how far round the neck will twist before it will fall over?

it is a part of the heritage and culture of western canada and the united states. We fucking bend over enough for ever joe muslim and jane vegan and john whatever. If you don't like it, don't fucking go, or go find a progressive enough country and get the fuck out.

[supe]

How is this any different then say catch and release fishing?

[BrknFngrs]

I was wondering how long it would take for a thread like this to start up this year. Same retarded points raised every year from people who have no idea what they're talking about.

Nonlinear, would you mind pulling up some stats on the calf spine epidemic destroying our nation?

[Canmorite]

Originally posted by core_upt
I can see the 'traditional' appeal of chucks, bronco riding, even bullriding, but calf roping is retarded.
We need to evolve passed this, not just keep saying 'its our roots'... calf roping is a truly barbaric acts for entertainment purposes It's shameful to see our city support it.

Barbaric? No, stoning someone for having sex out of wedlock is Barbaric. Calf roping isn't that bad at all.

[USED1]

Originally posted by nonlinear
Call me a hypocrite, but I don't think it's right to pinch a stallion's testicles to make him buck

Show's how much you actually know. They don't pinch the horse's nuts as they are typically geldings or even mares. It's called flanking the horse and even a small piece of rope wood make the horse buck when placed in that position. Instead they actually use wool so as not to harm the animal.

Maybe you should understand some of the aspects before you talk out of your ass.

[kertejud2]

How the fuck can on hate the rodeo but support the chucks?

Last year 4 animals died at the Stampede, three were chuckwagon horses.

In 2008, one animal died at the Stampede. In the chuckwagons.

In 2007, three animals died at the Stampede. All in the chuckwagons.

In 2006, two animals died at the Stampede. Both chuckwagon horses.


Shall I go on? The Chucks are far and away the deadliest event (from an animal perspective) at the Stampede, but its the one you seem to give a free pass?

[mx73someday]

Free thinking > CULTure

"Just because others have done it for centuries and many are still doing it must mean it's moral." Although it doesn't compare as greatly to many other cultural atrocities of history's past, it is still immoral to cause harm to others (including animals) for the purposes of entertainment or ego.

[ZenOps]

The Queen likes horses.

There was a small gaffe a couple decades ago - where someone mentioned that we still use horses as food (which we do, but most is used for dogfood or glue)

What is there to watch if there is no contact with the animals? What is the point of having a rodeo if you can't race horses.

I'd pay a dollar to watch Rob Anders bite the head off a chicken though.