Due to its rough nature and the heavy involvement of livestock, rodeo as a sport has always experienced condemnation for its treatment of animals. Major protests were first raised in the 1870s, and as concern over animal welfare grew, this led to laws enacted in various states that curtailed some of the events appearing in rodeo competitions.
The main governing body for rodeos is the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association). The early PRCA were very aware that appeasing protestors was crucial if the sport was to survive, so in the 1950s they worked closely with the AHA (American Humane Association) in establishing mutually acceptable regulations to protect the welfare of all animals involved in rodeos.
It cannot be denied that conditions for animals in rodeo have improved drastically over the years, with stringent rules applied by the PRCA to ensure the safety of livestock. These guidelines include the use of padded straps, horn protectors and spurs that feature blunted, free-spinning rowels.
The position held by animal welfare groups towards rodeos, can be broken down into several approaches. Firstly, there are those concerned with the conduct of rodeo cowboys (how they twist tails and bring down animals with ropes), and the equipment used (such as tight bucking or flank straps and powerful cattle prods).
Some protestors worry more about non-sanctioned, amateur rodeos, which are less likely to abide by regulations, and tend to be more geared towards all-out entertainment, with events such as 'mutton busting', calf dressing, wild cow milking, calf riding, and chuck wagon races. Then, there are those who believe that by its very nature, the practice of rodeo is an act of animal cruelty.
Many of the larger animal welfare groups (such as PETA, SHARK and the United States Humane Society) take the third standpoint, arguing that regulations are vague and ineffective, or often ignored by rodeo organisers. The ASPCA on the other hand is more tolerant, objecting only to events that "involve cruel, painful, stressful and potentially harmful treatment of livestock, not only in performance but also in handling, transport and prodding to perform." While most of these groups focus on big competitions, the ASPCA is particularly interested in practice sessions, which they claim are more often the location of serious abuse towards animals.
In many states, training sessions are exempt from animal cruelty laws; however, the AHA (American Humane Association) advocate the strengthening of these laws, to include training as well as performance. Though the AHA are not strictly against rodeos in principle, they firmly state that "when animals are involved in entertainment, they must be treated humanely at all times."
Most of these groups tend to single out amateur and children's rodeo events, such as tying goats, and riding sheep or calves. They argue that these animals are not prepared or trained for riding, and so the events "do not promote humane care and respect for animals."
Despite many genuine concerns about the treatment of animals at rodeos, many of the accusations levelled at rodeo practitioners are actually based on a misunderstanding of the sport; for example, one common misconception is that a bucking horse is a wild animal, terrified of being ridden. In reality, the majority of bucking horses are domesticated, trained animals, that are encouraged to try and throw their rider when in the ring. Many are bred and raised specifically for use in rodeos.
In fact, in rodeos the horses themselves are admired as equine athletes, winning awards for their performances, and often being retired to pasture at the end of their careers. Bucking horses are not generally considered ready for the rigours of rodeo until they are six or seven years old, and will train initially with cloth dummies attached to the saddle. Others start out as spoiled riding horses. As an experienced bucking horse can sell for $8000 to $10,000, owners appreciate that taking good care of their animals is a wise investment.
The same can be said for bucking bulls. While they may look ferocious in the ring, they have to be docile and tame enough to be safely loaded in and out of vehicles, and administered worming and vaccination treatments. They tend to understand that their job is to throw a rider, and normally they will not buck until they are being ridden in the ring.
Laws affecting the practice of rodeo vary widely from state to state. The only part of the US with a complete ban on rodeo is St. Petersburg, Florida, while other states such as Ohio and California, place limitations on certain events deemed to be more traumatic for the animals than others. In Pittsburgh, laws forbid the use of electric prods, bucking straps, wires, and sharpened spurs. They also require that humane officers be allowed access to all areas of the competition grounds. In Rhode Island, practices such as 'tie-down roping' have been removed from competitions altogether. In the Western states, statutes are often based on the regulations laid down by the PRCA themselves.
In other countries, rodeo has a mixed following. While it is popular in Hispanic countries such as Spain, Mexico, and large parts of Latin America, it is banned entirely in countries such as the Netherlands and Britain. Rodeo survives in Canada, where it has become so indigenous in the West, that Canadian Humane Societies are reluctant to criticise it, for fear of loosing support for their other goals.
As the sport's governing body, the PRCA oversees roughly one in three rodeos in the US, ensuring they meet with established regulations on animal treatment. While they oppose notions of animal rights, they support general animal welfare, accepting responsibility for the humane treatment and care of livestock. Even those rodeos not controlled by the PRCA generally base themselves on the same codes of conduct, and rodeo organisers will usually point the blame of animal cruelty at a small proportion of amateur and 'backyard' events that refuse to follow the industry rules. The larger events are usually under much closer scrutiny, and so tend to be more careful about adhering to the regulations.
Usually, rodeo livestock will receive good care and treatment; animals that are hungry, sick, injured or abused will not compete as well, and an unenthusiastic animal will reflect poor marks in a competition, and so poor treatment of the animals does not benefit anyone.
Under PRCA rules, vaccinations and blood testing are mandatory for all animals crossing state lines, veterinarians must be present at all events, and participants can be fined heavily for animal abuse. A study the PRCA conducted on 21 of their rodeos found that in over 26,000 performances, only 15 animals had been injured.
To conclude, the case can be argued either way. There are clearly many rodeos and cowboys out there who care very deeply about their animals, and strive to take good care of them. Others however, seem content to put their livestock through pain and suffering in order to keep an audience smiling. Ultimately however, it should be remembered that a rodeo is an unnatural and egotistical display of men's control over animals, and those who wish to perpetuate this sport, need to take full responsibility for the well-being of those creatures.