Story By Cao Yin and He Dan (China Daily)
Animal Welfare Groups Want No Part of “American” Animal Abuse
BEIJING – Organizers of a rodeo at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in October have refused to bow to pressure from animal rights campaigners to cancel the show.
The eight-day extravaganza is part of a cultural exchange program between China and the United States, yet critics say it is entertainment based on animal cruelty.
“In one event at the rodeo, a running calf is suddenly (lassoed and) pulled up by a rider. This can break the frightened calf’s neck,” Qin Xiaona, head of the Capital Animal Welfare Association (CAWA), said on Tuesday.
She argued that the rodeo will not represent the culture of the US West and has been organized purely to generate profits.
The association is among 68 Chinese and six international animal rights organizations that have written to protest about the show, which is scheduled to run at the Bird’s Nest – officially called the National Stadium – from Oct 3 to 10.
Guo Tiefu, a spokesman for US organizers Rodeo China, on Tuesday told China Daily the event will be staged as planned.
Guo said the rodeo is a legitimate use of animals in sport, along with most other organized equestrian events worldwide.
However, Li Liguo, secretary-general of the China International Friendship Cities Association, one of the Chinese organizers, told Beijing News that Chinese and US staff members will discuss the campaigners’ concerns and may remove some events.
However, Guo said during the rodeo animals perform for less than 8 seconds, which helps to protect them from serious injury.
“The US holds rodeos more than 5,000 times a year, and most states have laws to regulate the performances,” he said, adding that the ropes used on calves during the “tie-down roping” event are all in line with the laws.”The belts are thick enough and made of sheep fur. They are safe for the animals.”
Guo said the animal protectionists exaggerate the injury risks to rodeo livestock.
According to a document provided by Rodeo China, a survey conducted in 1999 and 2000 in the US found only 38 out of 17,743 rodeo animals were injured.
Comfortable resting areas near the Bird’s Nest will be provided for the animals.
“We are looking forward to the public, the media and those associations observing what we do,” Guo said. “We are negotiating with them about the show and would like to accept any reasonable suggestions they have.”
However, he said the amount of investment in the event is a commercial secret and refused to give any details. Ticket prices have not been finalized.
Guo stressed that rodeos have a long history in many Western countries and participants must obey the laws in regard to the horses and cattle.
“Those animals are like the performers’ friends. Do you think they would hurt their friends?” Guo said.
“In our western and rural areas, a lot of people grew up with the rodeo culture and the event is totally normal,” said Josh Manson, a Californian graduate student in Beijing. “They’re used to that as daily entertainment.”
If the rodeo cannot be called off, CAWA urged the show’s US sponsors, Less is Forever More Inc. and ZZYX Entertainment, to ensure that all rodeo livestock are well treated during and after the show, according to a public letter CAWA released at a press conference on Friday.
The letter also suggested that advertisements for the rodeo should state explicitly that the show is not appropriate for people younger than 18.
Liu Ning, a 24-year-old fan of equestrianism in Beijing, said she gave up the idea of watching the live performance because it may hurt both the livestock and performers, judging from some pictures she saw online.
“The events are still based on provoking animals to please audiences, which I cannot accept,” she added.
Related articles
- Rodeos: Entertainment or Animal Abuse? (socyberty.com)
- Royals urged to boycott Calgary Stampede rodeo (canada.com)
- Second horse dies during chuckwagon races at Calgary Stampede (theglobeandmail.com)
Categories: Horse News
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
All rodeos should be banned. The blatent abuse and cruelty to all the animals has been well documented. We have to ask ourselves what our definition of “entertainment” is. Running a calf at top speed, roping him/her by the neck and jerking him/her off their feet is cruel. They also use electric shock to get the bulls and horses to buck and “act wild”. They are terrified. They do not know what the “game” is. There are many injuries and deaths, but the rodeo industry covers them up. Just take a look at the Cheyenne Frontier Days (videos made by Shark on you tube). It’s horrifying for the animals, and it should not be considered “fun” for anyone.
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They only perform for 8 seconds???? It takes a split second to break a leg break a neck or for any other serious injury to occur. That is a bit of bull*&^% logic.
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Lori, that is a minimizing technique used by all oppressors. It only takes 2 seconds to get into a car accident or be crushed to death, or any number of other horrible things. It only takes a fraction of a second to be shot in the head. These kind of illogical arguements just make them feel better about their abuse. Perhaps they should imagine what it would be like for them to be roped and ripped off their feet. I bet it wouldn’t matter how quick it was.
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I know it sickens me. I read the book by Monty Roberts recently “The man who talks to Horses”. It is his biography and even though some people love him and some people hate him I personally found it to be a brilliant book and it opened my eyes to a lot of facts regarding horses in this country and worldwide for that matter. In it he talks a lot about rodeo and he says that the way that they rope the calves in a rodeo which is supposed to be based on the real life cowboys working on the range roping them to brand them, does NOT justly portray the way that this really happens in a working environment, the rodeo version is violent and cruel. Most rodeo events have become like this in the quest for speed and glory. Very sad.
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I am shocked at the comment…..I thought the Chinese were smart people yet the following statement proves otherwise to me.
“However, Guo said during the rodeo animals perform for less than 8 seconds, which helps to protect them from serious injury.”
It only takes 1/10th of a second to break a neck or to hurt an animal. What do they think they animals are……child actors???????????
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Stupidity is a human trait that knows no international boundaries. The BLM does not own a patent on the ailment.
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This article is such BS. Guo says it is ok because the animals only perform for 8 seconds……..THEY ARE NOT CHILD ACTORS YOU DUMB-A..!!! AND, it only takes a split second to snap a neck.
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China has a horrible record for terrible abuse of dogs, cats and small critters that they kill for fur. So Korea is particularly cruel.
http://www.squidoo.com/stopdogabusechina
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& Just think, this is the country that eats dogs & cats!!!!
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And where do you think the majority of these animals will be within a few days after the Chinese rodeo is over? Dinner?
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I bet if you cinched up the ‘cowboys’ b@!!$, like they do to the horses and bulls to make them buck, they wouldn’t ride at all! Let one of them run out of the shoot and have someone lasso their neck! Bottom line…..as always.. Money.
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The Chinese People have been fighting oppression for so very long, and it wasn’t until the 20th century that the practice of foot binding was stopped. It is heartening to hear that there are Chinese Animal Welfare groups and that they are willing to take a stand. This IS a global movement.
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I’d just like to point out if this so called movement has any merit, perhaps quoting an educated person on the subject as opposed to, for example a girl that saw some bad pictures on line or those making ignorant statements about what is being done when clearly these people have never stepped foot on a farm, well quite frankly make you all look quite silly. Never having never been to a Rodeo I am sure you feel empowered to have an opinion. However keep in mind it is a one sided slant on the topic and comes across as completely ignorant to those that actually have some knowledge on the subject. You guys MAY be correct however like Peta, you lost us at hello… Get educated THEN start typing…
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Taylor, I’d just like to point out if you are to offer any input that would be of any merit, perhaps actually knowing what you are talking about and stating facts might help prevent you from looking like a buffoon as you do right now.
Perhaps you’d do better by quoting real verifiable facts on the subject of how many rodeo animal advocates actually know through real experience absolutely nothing about horses & rodeo. But, for example, running your BS line, taken chapter and verse from the defensive rodeo and ranch animal abuser cretins who spout this lying nonsense about advocates, just makes you look like a real certifiable lying member of the rodeo animal abuser contingent. Are you a rodeo participant, Taylor?
Instead of making ignorant statements about something you know nothing about — you haven’t formally studied the population of rodeo animal advocates to determine exactly how much or how little rodeo exposure and therefore knowledge they have, have you, Taylor? — you might try talking about something you actually know about. When clearly you have never stepped foot into a research study role to analyze just exactly what advocates really know and what kinds of backgrounds and experiences they have, well quite frankly, pretending like you know this information, makes you look quite silly.
Never having any apparent meaningful connection with any rodeo animal supporters or with any facts about the larger community of rodeo animal supporters, still I am sure you feel empowered to have an opinion or you wouldn’t have been spouting off here about how no advocates know anything about rodeo with the implication that only you would know about this. However, keep in mind, yours is a one sided slant on the topic of the real knowledge and experience levels of advocates and you come across as completely ignorant to those that actually have some knowledge on the subject. Just like Sue Wallis and her group of raging horse eaters, you lost us at hello…
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Hi I came upon this blog and I decided I needed to say something about this comment by Kathleen on July 21st, 2011. As I was reading through the comments I realized I needed to say something. Kathleen you verbal nastiness is no less abusive as what you say is happening to the rodeo animals. Anyone who has seen an animal yelled at sees them put their ears back and backtrack. Your mouth is abusive toward others. I have always thought it was interesting that people can condemn others about a subject and then turn around and be just as offensive and abusive. Kathleen you are using the animals as an excuse to be nasty towards others. Try and speak without bashing someone’s opinion. You really don’t know as much as you think you do. Rodeo animals whether right or wrong are worth a lot of money and so owners hate to lose them to injury or death. Unfortunately animals used in acts, movies, sports of anykind, races, etc. are endanger just as humans are. Accidents happen and in todays world everyone trys to minimize any injuries to both animals and humans. the chinese people load up animals to take to market in the poorer parts of the country and beat the animals to move if they refuse to go. Where is your tirade against that. Next time just tell someone you disagree and the reasons without being nasty and calling names.
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HILARIOUS! So Debbie feels my comment was “abusive”, “offensive” and “condemning others”. Gee, I guess Debbie didn’t notice that my entire comment was written EXACTLY reflecting back Taylor’s accusations against everyone here using his/her very own, very presumptuous, abusive and condemning words in the order in which it was written! Turnabout IS fair play!
And, yes, I’ll own up to “name-calling” animal abusers as CRETINS which they are! You, Debbie, seem to want to make excuses for them because all animals “are endanger”(sic), because they are expensive so owners “hate to lose them” and because you apparently want to divert attention from the subject of this article which is “Chinese advocates rejecting abusive US type rodeo” to China’s own animal welfare issues. We are not discussing China’s animal welfare problems here, this is about American style rodeo in China and the perception China has of that.
Here’s how it goes here: Stay on topic and don’t try to throw up smokescreens so people get off on a tangent. If an article is actually about how China treats its animals (and not about American style rodeos in China), we’ll all give our two cents on that and you can too! And if we do not care for your opinion, like Taylor’s ridiculous condescending rant calling advocates here essentially ignorant and completely uneducated inexperienced horse people who’ve “never stepped foot on a farm”, we will be sure to let you know that too.
Sorry, but you have come to the wrong place to expect readers here to be kind and accepting to opinions and accusations made out of pure ignorance and/or via propaganda such as those made by Taylor in his/her implied support for rodeo and its ingrained attitude condoning disposable rodeo animals. No one here really cares that they “are expensive” – we care about the animals, not the money in the rodeo cretins’ pockets!
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Actually, at one time, I was around rodeos quite often….rodeos, horse shows and county fairs. My comment was in reference to a global movement towards animal welfare, which does appear to be taking hold. Seeing something of that nature coming from China was, in my mind, quite uplifting.
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My main reason for posting this article was because I have been witnessing it from the inside, from China, and have spent 5 months in China out of the past 10. My perspective of the Chinese people has changed, radically, since my trip. That is why I often like to stop and readjust my binoculars for what I call the “Global Perspective”. We Americans are often times very set in our ways and even more often elitist in our views. Not every thing that I have heard about China is true.
Although the culture, especially the rural culture where I visit, takes a different perspective on animal abuse I have yet to find anyone who eats dog, horse or the like. In fact, I see a lot of turned up noses when I ask about horse meat but there are rumors that such things go on in distant provinces. If a peasant has a horse, around here, it is considered to be something akin to a Dually Pickup truck and eating this large pack animal would be the last thing on the farmer’s mind. Now chicken’s feet and fried scorpion are another matter but none the less, the chicken’s feet come from…drum roll…the United States. Chicken feet are the biggest U.S. export to China. Some day, when I have the stomach for it I will tell you about and send you pictures of the local live market but remember, these people do not have refrigerators so just like our ancestors used to do, they buy dinner live in the morning.
So politics aside, the Chinese people have been some of the nicest people that I have had the honor to work with…and speaking of politics, do you want to be personally judged on the merits of OUR government, is that fair? I think not.
To see this article about Chinese groups rising up to stop the rodeo is unbelievable stuff on several levels, not just in displaying the fact that the Chinese care about animal welfare, also, but to take a stand against anything, in China, one risks governmental punishment.
Did you know that from China I cannot get to FaceBook, MySpace, YouTube or even this very blog…it takes some real technical maneuvering to get around and through the Great Chinese Firewall so we need to cut these poor struggling people a little bit of slack. They are good folks and many of them are on this blog, right now, supporting us in what we do. They are just too quiet and reserved to speak up and shake their fists as they have several thousand years of oppression to overcome.
Embrace diversity both in nature and in humankind.
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Thank you, RT! Great testimony from someone who is there and sees the good changes happening. Thank you for sharing your firsthand view of life on the other side of the planet, I’m sure we could learn a lot from the stories you could share from around the world.
This news is so heartening, as you point out, to know folks in China care about humane treatment of animals and even take the risks involved with protesting it – it’s not what we expect but it is so very welcome.
Yes, the world is changing, from Americans finding out the truth about rodeo cruelties and realizing our government is bent on destroying our legacy of Wild Horses & Burros to Australians and Europeans fighting puppy mills and seal slaughter to Mexicans standing up against the horrors of the Mercade De San Bernabe to Chinese saying “NO!” to rodeos. There is hope, there really is hope in this world. We still have a lot of cruel people to deal with but there are many more of us with caring hearts and our numbers are growing everyday and that is a very good thing. Thank you for reminding us of the bright light of hope.
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I agree R.T. And, we can hardly throw stones with the way we treat animals in this country. And, Taylor, I have been to rodeos, I live on a farm and happen to know a few things, just like others. Why do you assume that everyone is from PETA? People ALWAYS reveal their position to animal cruelty when they DEFEND the practice. I have been to a rodeo and I have worked on a cattle ranch. I know what standard practice is, and it’s CRUEL. Stand one day in a cow’s “shoes” and see how you would like it. We should APPLAUD all efforts to move towards making more compassionate choices
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Apologies to anyone eating breakfast!!!
This is from a VET! There’s more about equally abusive and fatal events, and even something from Temple Grandin about a bucking horse with a broken leg shipped to slaughter.
“In calf roping, baby calves weighing less than 300 pounds are forced to run at speeds in excess of 25 miles per hour when they are roped. The reason they run at such high speeds is that they are being tortured in the holding chute. Their tails are twisted, their tails are rubbed back and forth over the steel bars of the chute and they are shocked with electric prods until the gate opens. They burst out of the chute at top speed only to be stopped short — clotheslined — with a choking rope around the neck. They are often injured and some are killed. These calves would still be with their mothers on pasture if they were not in the rodeo.
“As a pathologist and former meat inspector, I believe my colleagues when they report horrendous injuries to rodeo cattle. Dr. C. G. Haber, a veterinarian with thirty years experience as a USDA meat inspector says: ‘The rodeo folks send their animals to the packing houses where…I have seen cattle so extensively bruised that the only areas in which the skin was attached was the head, neck, legs, and belly. I have seen animals with six to eight ribs broken from the spine and at times puncturing the lungs. I have seen as much as two and three gallons of free blood accumulated under the detached skin.’
“A career USDA meat inspection veterinarian, Dr. Robert Fetzner, Director of Slaughter Operations for FSIS (USDA) stated in our phone conversation on September 9, 1998, “Lots of rodeo animals went to slaughter. I found broken ribs, punctured lungs, hematomas, broken legs, severed tracheas and the ligamenta nuchae were torn loose.” Torn ligamenta nuchae are broken necks.
“This is the cruel fate of baby cows in rodeos.”
Read the rest at your own risk, but it’s important everyone (including other nations that are considering “importing” rodeo) know the facts.
http://stoptherodeo.org/DrLarson.html
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The picture taken in Tianaman Square showing the Chinese student standing in front of the military tank will be forever etched in my mind.
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