Leave our rodeo alone

12th August 2008

By TORI MAINEY WITH claims by animal activists the Warwick Rodeo "seriously mistreated" animals, cowboys like Scott Glasby have come to the event's defence with the truism "if they weren't in the rodeo they would be in a burger".

The Willowvale horse breaker, who rode in his first rodeo at age 11, said claims of abuse by Animals Australia, which singled out the Rose City event in a Sydney newspaper, were unfounded.

"These people say we force the animals to buck, but there's no way you can make them," he said.

Mr Glasby said there were strict animal-treatment guidelines to which riders adhered or faced fines and expulsion.

Australian Professional Rodeo Association (APRA) Warwick-based CEO John Osborne said it took the welfare of animals seriously.

"We have 25,000 people compete in a rodeos in a given year and there may be eight animal injuries," he said.

Warwick Show and Rodeo Society president Dr John Kiss said the committee cancelled the event's wild horse category after public criticism from Animals Australia in 2006.

"The Warwick Show and Rodeo Society intends to meet with the APRA within the coming weeks to further discuss strategies to prevent any form of harm to rodeo stock," he said.

But Warwick Rodeo stock contractor Frank Biddle said his animals were treated with the utmost of care.

"It's not cruel. Our bulls are better fed than we are," he said.

But Animals Australia executive Wendy Parsons wants all rodeos banned.

"It's not what I would view as good family entertainment because it encourages lack of respect for animals," she said.