Some People Need To Do Their Research-Opinion

I know I need to update…but well I have a little problem with an entry I came across on my favorites.  Those of you who know me know that I live and breath rodeo!  I may not be active as much as I used to..but this summer I plan on getting back into it.  Anyways, not only do I have a quite a few years experience and ‘behind the scenes’ look at this WONDERFUL sport, for my senior research paper I had to do huge research paper on it.  So yeah….I totally understand that people have their own opinion and I know there are a lot of people out there that feel the complete opposite as I do..but here I am to state my own opinion about the just exactly how animals are treated in the sport of rodeo. 

If you’re wondering the diary I’m talking about is http://www.opendiary.com/entryview.asp?authorcode=B393602&entry=10108

Anyways, where to start…well in this article she has found it states that roping is the most cruel..well here’s my mouthful about that…

Well for one the DO have a weight the calves need to meet.  300lbs is a lot anways, but they are not ‘babies’.   And for another, cows are not like friggen humans they don’t spend the first 18 years of their lives with their mothers.  So the comment about still being out in the pastures with their mothers….that’s a throw away.  The whole roping idea.  Okay so it looks like it’s not all that safe, but it is.  If you compare the weights and the anatomy of the calf.  Their necks are able to take it…they aren’t built like humans.  For the roper it does take a lot of skill and practice.  The roper can only practice for so long and there are more than one calf…and ropers set a limit at how many times they rope each calf…they know when too much is too much.  Most ropers I know will rotate their calves and steers and only use them so many times a month and what not.  As of the idea of the calves and steers in th chute being tortured…I’m soooo sure.  Have you even seen what a cows tail is made of….basically have you ever seen one period.  I mean really..it’s not like they leave the chute with a broken tail.  The electric shock idea….it’s not like they are sending them the the electric chair.  It’s a very little amount of shock..if you actually go to a rodeo you’d see the humans themselves playing with one another using them on eachother….it’s not that bad.  I’d like to know where you found your sources…did you happen to check the validity of them?

Anyways..onto the next.  Steer tripping..what the hell is that…that definitely tells me there is lack of rodeo knowledge there.  It sounds like whoever wrote this article has confused this event.  At first it sounds like team roping…but in team roping the steers are not tied.  STEERS ARE NOT TIED IN RODEO PERIOD!!!  Steers are used in the team roping event.  It is where a team of ropers first the header who ropes the head/horns, then the heeler who ropes the back heels.  BUT if you’ve been to a rodeo you will see that these steers have protective head gear that they wear that IS required.  Again you have to compare the weights…these steers are enormous.  Again, they are often rotated and not used over and over again.  Back when I did my research I ran into an article that someone had wrote after going to a rodeo.  They had seen these steers with their head gear and claimed that it was abuse to use the animals because it appeared they had a toothache…my hell give me a break people..if you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about..then don’t say anything…ohhhh and the whole the steers appear to be skinny…umm no..again there is a weight they have to meet and the steers along with all the animals are check out regularly by a veterinarian. 

Ok what’s next.  Bull riding…ahhh this is a good one.  I mean if you’ve ever actually watched this..you will see that the men riding these bulls are in far more danger than the bulls.  I mean think about it…a thousand pound bull against a 160lb guy…ummm self explanitory.  The spurs….I knew this would come up.  There are some spurs that are dangerous.  Before each rodeo..ALL equipment is inspected and there are rules and regulations as to which equipment may actually be used and what may not.  The spurs are NOT your typical spurs you seen in all the cowboy movies.  They are simply used to apply pressure!  Your so called bucking straps.  If you think about it..it’s in a bulls nature to buck…this strap is an aid to their bucking in a rodeo…if you were to look at this strap you would see that it is padded and it is completely safe!  Ohh..and with the whole being sent to the slaughter house..NOT true.  Most of these animals are sent to a ranch where they retire, when there time has come!  There are many ranches out there with retired rodeo(animal) stars. 

Hmm onto the broncs.  This is similar.  I mean there are rules and regulations.  The equipment IS checked before it is used.  Same story with the spurs and straps.  Overall the broncs is very similar to the bulls in the way it is regulated.  Again I would like to see the validity of their sources. 

As with the traveling.  There IS a limit to how far/long the animals can travel at one time.  There is a limit a trailer can hold…and just a question..what’s the difference between having these animals in a corral or a trailer..if they’re gonna fight, their gonna fight.  Have you seen the size of these trailers…they are huge..they are pert near the size of my house!

Steer Wrestling…one of my favorites actually.  You tell me which is more dangerous…a man flying off his horse and who knows what speed to reach for the steer….and try and get him to the ground…I mean these steers are twice and sometimes 3 times the size of the man…and as with the calves..check out the anatomy..they are built to handle it. 

Overall, rodeo is safe.  The PRCA has won awards for their compassion and kindness to animals.  There are rules and regulations that keep these animals safe.  I have been to who knows how many rodeos and have NEVER seen an animal killed, injured, or in bad shape.  These animals are usually treated better than your typical animal in the pastures you drive by everyday.  They are treated like stars because they are stars.  They may only spend a minimal time out in the arena, but if you think about it..it’s not much..they spend an average of 30 seconds in the arena…and are praised for triple.  These animals are treated better than the humans.  I mean think about it…and if you’ve EVER actually been to a rodeo then you’d see that the humans are IN MUCH more danger than the animals.  There are more EMT’s and ambulances at a rodeo than their are vets…I mean it is required to have a vet onhand at a rodeo..but they are rarely needed.  I’m not saying it NEVER happens..some people chose to abuse the rules and suffer the consequences.  I’ll admit that at the rodoes I’ve competed in I’ve seen girls and guys treat

their roping or barrel horses like crap..and I don’t agree with it…and these people were warned by the association and if they were to do it again would be kicked out. 

When it comes right down to it..it’s not rodeo in itself..it’s the people who abuse the sport and their animals…who don’t deserve to be involved with the sport…and if they chose to act this way…they may suffer the consequences of not being able to participate in the sport…and they may have their animals take away from them.  I know people who own horses and have been cited and he gets cited again he loses them…the thing is..he has NOTHING to do with rodeo…

I did this entire entry with only the help from ONE article..and that’s where I found the info on the award the PRCA was awarded..the rest is from my own experience..if anyone wants to argue with me..fine…I am willing to spend the time to do ACTUAL research that is VALID. 

*bows* thank you very much. 

This may have come across really rude..which well I was a bit ticked when I read that diary.  EVERYONE has the right to their opinion..like I said..that was mine!  :o) If you don’t like it..I’d like to say sorry..but I just don’t think it’d be sincere. 

Most of all…COWBOY/COWGIRL UP!!!!! :o)