"Rites of Passage" certainly seem a bit more (culturally) important than
winning a buckle.
I am no fan of rodeo, either, but I always wish the riders and animals
well and hope for the best, though I still don't attend them (which is
darned-near sacrilege where I live).
Same for the (so called) "Suicide Race" in Washington.
Frank.
*Hey Frank, I agree that it's important to respect cultural traditions
and was great Kathleen showed another perspective to the event. If the
Omak Stampede is now more regulated, and the horses trained for it, thatts
probably a huge step forward.
However, hard for me to close my eyes to animal abuse in the guise of
"tradition" or some sort of cultural rite of passage. ESPECIALLY animal
abuse that occurs in entertainment events, and especially in this country
which has struggled to establish humane treatment laws for animals....
Should this society allow violations of these laws and turn a blind eye
to events such as the Mexican Charreadas, which still illegally hold the
competion called Las Manganas (sp?), which involved chasing mares (very often
cheap feedlot Arabs) around in circles and roping their front feet? They
aren't "supposed" to yank the rope, but more times than not, the horses go
crashing to the ground anyway....sustaining major injuries. Do you think
vets. are at these events? Maybe the larger publicized ones, but surely not
the hidden weekend events on ranches all over Calif where this goes on
regularly....
Cockfighting, pitbull fighting.....cultural events or animal
cruelty?
Rodeo? I'm not a fan of that either. I fail to understand how
roping a calf at full speed and flipping it up in the air is not total
abuse. Try doing that to dogs, or foals and see how the public would
protest. I'm sure roping calves may have been a necessary job back in
the "old west",but I hardly see why it's allowed purely for entertainment
purposes. Other rodeo events I have no real problem with.
There are always lunatic-fringe groups that are going to protest any use
of animals, but we can't let fear that enforcing humane animals laws for one
particular event is going to necessarly shut down another. Endurance riding a
at least has a huge history and background of veterinary supervision and
research, and the AERC has implimened drug, age and soundness rules to protect
horses. That's not to say I have not seen some abuse on endurance
rides....and I support and encourage anyone who does, to file a protest with
the ride manager.
Regarding the initial email regarding the Omak stampede, I am encouraged
people cared enough to be upset...and maybe look into it, get facts, and still
write letters urging this event be monitored by vets, etc.....
