By Martin Griffith as printed in the Washington Post
“Good Ole Boys” just can’t resist the urge to torment animals
“SFTHH is neither anti-rodeo nor pro-SHARK but we did feel that this story deserved the attention of our readership”
photo courtesy of RJG.com
RENO, Nev. — Animal rights activists say additional videotape shot at the Reno Rodeo shows the alleged abuse of bucking broncos was more extensive than originally thought.
Leaders of Showing Animals Respect and Kindness, or SHARK, publicized videotape last week they say showed an unknown person secretly giving electric shocks to horses just before they left chutes for competition last month in violation of the rodeo’s policy.
Additional undercover footage released at a news conference Friday in Reno shows a total of four men were involved in the animal shocking, and some horses were shocked by two of them at once, said Steve Hindi, president of the Illinois-based group.
One man used a 10,000-volt electric prod that is banned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, he maintained, while the three others used a 5,000-volt prod that the PRCA only allows on horses that stall in chutes.
SHARK claims rodeo organizers, stock contractors, riders and judges were aware of the use of electric prods and covered it up. The prods were used to rig the competition and help certain cowboys, it further contends.
“Anyone want to give it a shot?” Hindi asked as visible sparks emerged from two prods he displayed. “It hurts. It is painful. And they say horses are more sensitive to electricity than people … We’re against animals being put at risk for entertainment.”
The Reno Rodeo Association issued a statement Friday saying it was aware of SHARK’s video and may comment later “if and when there is a need to comment on allegations made.”
The association stressed that it makes the health and welfare of its animals a priority, and it works with the rodeo’s official veterinarian to monitor the conditions of livestock.
“We understand that there are groups and individuals who do not believe we have the right to interact with animals in sports such as rodeo, but we believe that we can with proper care and handling of those animals,” the statement says.
After watching the earlier video, rodeo spokesman Steve Schroeder acknowledged that bucking horses were shocked by a person in violation of rodeo rules.
He also said cowboys were found to be “messing” with overhead cameras the rodeo installed after SHARK released similar video in 2011, and the man who administered the shocks worked “really hard to stay out of camera view.”
Schroeder wouldn’t identify the man but said he longer would be allowed at the rodeo. He said he expects the man and the livestock subcontractor to face fines.
The PRCA is reviewing the earlier video and allegations, spokeswoman Cindy Schonholtz said Friday, but it has not received the latest video.
The association has 60 rules that govern the care of animals at rodeos, and violators are subject to penalties ranging from fines to suspension and expulsion. Judges at PRCA-sanctioned rodeos submit any rule violations to the association.
“At the Reno rodeo, the judges felt that the use of the prod they observed was within the rules outlined for chute stalling or known chute-stalling horses in order to facilitate safe exit from the chutes,” Schonholtz told The Associated Press.
The allowed hand-held prods have a similar sensation to an electric livestock fence, she said, and do not make a horse buck or affect the competition once the horse and competitor have exited the chute.
SHARK also released video showing two running calves that were roped around the neck and flipped over on their backs at the Reno Rodeo. One calf’s rear leg was seriously injured, while the other’s neck appeared to break as the cowboy tied its legs.
Hindi said the injuries resulted from “jerk downs,” a practice the PRCA has banned. A jerk down occurs “if a contestant jerks a calf over backward in tie-down roping,” according to the PRCA.
“(The rule) was in place at the Reno Rodeo and violations were reported to the PRCA office,” Schonholtz said. “Those who violated that rule will be receiving penalties as outlined in the policy.”
Hindi thinks the four men using the electric prods were employed by stock contractors, but he was unsure of their names or employers.
The use of the prods is difficult to see in the video because the cowboys wore gloves and long-sleeve shirts to hide them, Hindi said.
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Related articles
- Video shows Reno Rodeo horses being shocked (cnsnews.com)
- Video shows Reno Rodeo horses being shocked (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
Categories: Horse News
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Absolutely appalling……and the worst part is that some of these people try to cover up their sick torment of animals by messing with surveillance cameras and staying out of camera view…..seriously, they know what they are doing is wrong, but they are so sadistic, they do it anyway and try to hide and cover it up. I can’t even imagine what they do to animals, kids, and women in the privacy of their own properties/homes, but I can guarantee its most likely sick and sadistic and these losers shouldn’t even be able to roam amongst people who are in civilized society because they are extreme dangers to all of us; our family and friends, and our animals too.
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Excellent, complete reporting by News4 reporter Karen Todd Griffin. She didn’t simply go with the press release, but sought other sources and even emailed friends to find the truth behind the allegations. Those who criticize the media should APPLAUD such determination. Reporters rarely get more $ for doing a good job.
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This is so wrong and sadistic! What choice do these horses and calves have?! Anyone asked them what they would like to do in their lives,
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I hate rodeos…..they have no place in today’s world, they have taken what was once a necessary skill and turned it into torture for the animals, as well as the riders.How many times do you have to break your bones or get dumped on your head before you realize it is stupid? The video shows the same man most of the time and it is very obvious what he is doing. As far as the roping, well it is almost as bad as “tripping”.
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I totally agree, rodeos are in the past. This is the 21st century, there obviously is no “need” for rodeos but there is a deranged desire. Again greed has taken the place of humanity. To me, there is nothing more sexy or more intelegent than a man being kind to animals.
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One could actually see the prod going into the back pockets. Too bad it didn’t shock them in the rear. The calves are too small to be roped that way.
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Over the 4th of July two horses collided and one died on the spot at a rodeo in Oregon.
It is time for the Wild Horse Races to end in America, this “sport” must be banned!!
Please go to St. Paul Rodeo‘s Facebook and tell them to cancel the event for good!
To watch a news clip, click here.
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And they call themselves Cowboys!!
Asshats is a better fit!!
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Wild horse races?!?!?…and they call this a sport. It’s barbaric and this is the kind asshatery one would expect in a 3rd world country for entertainment but it’s happening right here. Actually, I take that back, most 3rd world countries treat most of these animals with far more respect and honor than the so-called “civilized” countriies do. So much money, so many greedy corporations looking for another marketing tool, sadly the rodeo as a whole will never go away because of all of this. But there definitely needs to be a massive overhaul of safety standards for the animals only, if the humans are stupid enough to participate in something that is dangerous and life threatening that their choice, the animals don’t have that choice
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There is nothing sporting about the Abuse of Any Animal, it is the work a COWARD !!!!!!!
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That wild horse racing is terrible. I can’t imagine it being a sport in rodeo. I have never seen that and my daughter son and I like rodeos. Maybe the midwest is different. I enjoy the barrel racing and the full riding. Sorry if that offends anyone.
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I meant Bull riding. Sorry if the fingers get confused.
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Just one more example of how money & prizes matter more than the animals.
Curious as to whats said over the loudspeaker when the calf’s neck was broken. Any mention of the fact that an animal died so these people could be entertained?
That would make me sick & make me leave – if I was there in the first place. And thinking back about my kids when they were young (long time ago) they wouldnt have wanted to stay in a place where that happened. Didnt watch the “wild horse” race – honestly couldnt watch something like that – same feeling that keeps me from watching a horse race live anymore. Cant.
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Don’t know which stock contractor was used in this latest Reno rodeo but have read that Cotton Rossner was contractor there in previous years. Another contractor documented using the electric prod is the Harry Vold family. Both of these are a “piece of work” when it comes to electric prods of animals at rodeos and videos can be seen on the Sharks webiste. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTlSXMNxaQc
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I have never been to a Rodeo, and I never will there are some great ways for man and animal to earn a living together, its when the greed enters the equation when all goes wrong for the animal !!!!!! A horse will form a bond with a person and do amazing things together with him or her……..Things that dreams are made out of……………………………….
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It’s time for a serious and extensive overhaul of the Standards of Operation of American rodeo. If the officials don’t have the heart and brains to fix it, it needs to fade off into the sunset, like the circus.
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When one watches the video one has to wonder what part of the body is the person who is kneeling down shocking? I am going to quess the horses genital area or under belly which is extra sensitive. Rules are not worth the paper they are written on! We do not need this type of entertainment, using helpless animals. If these people want this type of abuse and cruelty as entertainment let them start roping and shocking the riders to see how long they can stay on while being tortured. Also for the video of the wild horse race if you look at approximately 2:50 on the left of the screen you will see a horse with what looks to me to be a broken leg! We need to stop this being considered as entertainment, this disregard for animals spills over into how people treat each other and close family members.
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Its so appalling!!! This turns my stomach.. I would like to know how WE as horse people tolerate this..We should all be contacting every agency that is connected with this. These guys are NO TRUE COWBOYS, BUT A BUNCH OF MISFITS. I NEVER go to any rodeos any more for this reason. The animals care has become second fiddle…as long as they buck and try to kill the rider, the more the people love it. What has our society become? It is getting harder and harder for those of us that LOVE the horses and other animals to protect them. I will tell you the DEVIL is so hard at work, its pathetic! I will try and get something off to the rodeo association..AGAIN, WHY ARE WE TOLERATING THIS BEHAVIOR – ALL THOSE INVOLVED SHOULD BE CALLED ON THE CARPET AND HUMANE VIOLATIONS FILED AGAINS THEM!
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i think there are petitions about rodeo online, just look ’em up.
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The Importance of all the horses is and should be priority one for everyone, they alone affect every facet of out lives either direct or indirectly, to allow The BLM to destroy them we destroy ourselves…………….Look in the Mirror study what you see then look at them they are our Mirror image , they have leader, they have followers they have Mothers , fathers children, they will fight for till their death……….they help their inflected ones without hesitation, I could spend all day telling their mirror images of us…………………..Every effort must and should be made to save them all, we cannot sit on our duffs and talk and write anymore it does no GOOD at all for them or us, we need to STOP the BLM and Stop them NOW………………….It is very clear the BLM thinks they are non expendable, they will tell you that right in your face !!!!!! They have said they can do whatever they want people….. It is imperative that we do something before it is to LATE !!!!if it isnt already to LATE…………… everyday is so important now………………………Please there must be something we can do as a united force??????? Talking and writing faxing emailing has proven futile ……………………….. We cannot reason with those who will not listen…… and show the back of their hand and simply do not care and are out for GREED !!!!!! There is an Achilles heal we must find it !!!!!!
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now now people let’s all be adult about this. True. It does look barbaric and I for one would love to see more shows like Tommy Turvey and Pokerjoe. and wild horse races don’t hurt the horse at all. the main way to control a horse is by his head. once you have hold of his head the saddle goes on rider mounts and the rider glues himself to the saddle its morons that think they have to spice things up that give em a bad name. next thing to know cutting will be considered barbaric to seperate one calf or cow from the herd. calf roping can be pretty rough. yes. and no man out there, has that kind of finess not to cause a calf sore. however, there needs to be a line drawn somewhere. if every sport that looked barbaric were banned but wasn’t really barbaric the entertainment world would look about as bland as oatmeal made with out butter and sugar. i draw the line at the omak suicide races. period. but bustin broncos has been part of western history forever. like calf roping and cattle cutting these are typical practices on your garden variety cattle ranch. o,o;
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I am an adult, and using force or fear is hurting a horse! The next person who tries to work with these horses will have to overcome this”training” if they want a calm and trusting mount.History is not a guide book for the present. Intelligent species improve on the past, they don’t stay stuck in it. If you want barbaric, pit person against person and leave the animals out of the equation, that is what the fight ring is for.
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Unfortunately, many of the horses in the wild horse race do not have a future other than going to slaughter. Similar to horses that are used as “extras” in horse racing movies, those horses also are often sent to slaughter as soon as their “part” in the movie is filmed.
Just another example of ruthless, greedy, immoral humans having a FREE disposal system for the horses they can’t use or don’t want anymore. We’ll see a lot of huge changes on how things are done in many sectors of the horse industry once horse slaughter is banned entirely and the FREE disposal system is no more…….
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@Dovie, are you being serious right now? Did you watch the video of the Wild Horses Race…it not only hurt the riders, but it killed a horse!!!! And you can’t sit there and tell me that taking a horse that has not been handled the way these so-called “Cowboys” do is not hurting them, and what good will these horses be after the races if they do manage to survive? It will take years for them to trust another human again, if ever which will most certainly seal their fate to people like you. So please tell me how the horses are not hurt? There are many parts of our culture that have been around for years but that certainly doesn’t make them right or harmless. Bronc riding and bull riding are stupid and endanger not only the animals but the people on them…if it weren’t for the fact that they tie ropes around their nuts, spur them and shock them, I’d let the stupid people who have a death wish go for a ride. BTW, if the garden variety ranch horses were actually the ones being used to do the cutting and the roping it would be one thing but most of these horses used in these events are born and bred specifically for show and are not used on your everyday cattle ranch, so once again your argument is invalid!!! Ask me how I know this, please, please do…ok, I’ll give….my farrier and trainer happens to breed and train roping, cutting and barrels horses…his horses are VERY well known, most babies are sold before they even hit the ground…he doesn’t own a cattle ranch, I think the last time I was out there a month ago there was maybe one calf in his pasture and that was for him to raise and butcher. Garden variety, not even close!!!!
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Dovie, if you are any kind of real horse person and know what real training is, then you and I both know that the wild horse race is not about training at all: its about these over grown “boys” whose brain cells have been killed by too much booze and/or drugs like meth, to go out and be show-off’s and try and prove their so-called “supremecy over a 1000# animal.
I’ve ended up with horses that were in wild horse races (one was a QH gelding I named Nugget) and were also used for horse tripping (and one of these horses was a Mustang gelding I named Ghost), and while I was able to rehabilitate those horses to an extent and train them for trail riding, they were never totally trust worthy riding horses and had “quirks” and “triggers” that would set them off from time to time.
Unfortunately however, many, if not most, of the horses used in this event will never have the chance for rehabilitation because they go to slaughter because no one wants to deal with a mentally and/or physically damaged horse.Their “reward” for being manhandled and abused is to be sent to slaughter……wow, thats really humane, huh? NOT!
I haven’t been to the rodeo in years (and the Reno rodeo is only 45 minutes from where I live), because the calf roping, the wild horse race, the team roping, is abusive IMO. As far as saddle and bareback bucking horses go; horses that are at the pinnacle of rodeos such as the Reno rodeo are often either horses that either are “bred to buck” or they are horses who didn’t want to be domestic saddle horses i.e. trail or pleasure riding horses, show horses, so basically horses that don’t like being sedate, trained riding horses and who will buck, jump, leap, twist, etc with hardly any provocation–yes, there are horses that love to buck and they are good at it. For the horses however that “need” to be cattle prodded; they are obviously not doing something they want to do and should NOT be bucking horses. Unlike some people however, I’m not going to freak out every time a cattle prod is used on an animal because I had occassion to use one myself many moons ago on a horse who had been to so many trainers, (and he put two of them in the hospital), he had become supremely dangerous, would take one look at anyone entering his corral or stall, and flat out charge them with his ears flat back and his mouth wide open (and he was a 16.2 hand, 1150# TB) and he had bitten and mowed down more than a few people using his teeth, his front and back hooves, and also his sheer size. All I did was establish that I was the boss at my place and he needed to find that out right off the bat…..after establishing that charging at me was not in his best interests (I do have to say, the look on this horses face after 110# me got him on the nose with the prod just one time was the biggest look of surprise I’ve ever seen on anyones face), I started training him using positive reinforcement training and he became one of the nicest horses I’ve ever been around (then again, he would still “tease” other people with his “I’m the boss” routine, but never to the dangerous extent he had before). He whinnied at me when I came out of the house, watched me wherever I went on the property, got upset if I paid attention to other horses, etc—–he was a good friend until his passing at age 28 from a heart attack. So while I think cattle prods do sometimes have a place on straightening a large, aggressive animal out rather than them hurting or killing a human that will then earn that animal a one-way trip to slaughter, what we see at the rodeo is often pure laziness (IOW, no system of moving large animals from one place to another using an intelligent system instead of a physical one), and a moron mentality by men (and some women) who have been raised to believe that animals have no emotions, no feelings, that they don’t deserve fairness, humans being kind and consistent, etc.
Many of the events at a rodeo had/have a purpose in real life such as “bronc busting” to get horses saddle broke in a hurry and working under saddle quickly, especially if you’re out in the boonies working cattle and your saddle horse goes lame or something and you can’t be left afoot 100 miles from the ranch and the only horses available are still unbroke either entirely or partially), calf and team roping in order to doctor or brand calves, cutting for working cattle and herding them (although, cutting isn’t usually done at the rodeo, just like reined cow horse isn’t usually an event at the rodeo either) and a few other events. However, the wild horse race, bull riding, and even barrel racing I believe were more or less like entertainment on the ranch to show someones skills, “prowess” as a horse trainer, to show how macho the guys were for riding a bull that might come after you after they’ve thrown the rider, etc.
Unfortunately, its evolved into an array of slightly to extreme abuses against animals, and if the rodeos won’t police themselves and get the sadists in line or eliminated entirely from working at the rodeos, and if the organizers don’t eliminate “events” like the wild horse race, the rodeo will go bye bye because most civilized people don’t like seeing animals getting injured and/or killed just for the sake of human “entertainment”.It looks like we need an impartial and educated entity that is in charge of “policing the police (the organizers)” at the rodeo, otherwise, I think the rodeo should become extinct.
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i wasn’t raised with ranching or rodeo, but gosh, Americans are ingenius~! we can come up with fun, safe stuff! i just know it. good old rodeo is looking more and more like torment instead of fun. if ropers tried i know they can come up with a protective neck piece for the calves~ and the buckers could have a safer place to do their job too~all they have to do is TRY . i always admired the skill of cowboys, but today it’s so different.
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To be honest, I would have assumed the guy reaching down was pulling on the bucking strap.(flank strap) Doesnt seem like anyone would reach down behind or under a horse to zap them like that.
But maybe I’m wrong.
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If you watch the video carefully you will see he has a hand held shocking device in his hand so he is shocking the horse somewhere from that position.
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They zap them in the sheath/genital area because the skin is thin and the area is much more sensitive to the prod. 😦
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Can’t bear to watch….old news that rodeos and horse racing and animal circus’ are all entertainment warped with abuse,deceit,greed,and unethical treatment of innocent creatures!! If the public were smart,they would quit their support of these mindless activities and better exposure of the evil deeds that take place should help,like this video that makes me sad and sick.
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More from Texas:
Texas Updates Piroplasmosis Rules
http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/sos/PROPOSED/4.AGRICULTURE.html#103
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Don’t try this at Home
MUSTANG SALLY
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In Canada our Prime Minister Stephen Harper has just given 5 Million dollars of our tax money to the Calgary Stampede to promote it overseas as a tourist draw, while he cuts health care and seniors pensions.
http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/07/06/harper-invests-in-stampede-with-5m-promotion-pledge
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Isnt it high time that Ford Motor Company pays back the Mustangs for earning Billions for them , using the name Mustang to name a car, ????????/ ?????/ Where are you FORD MOTOR CORP?????
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Sadly there are humans void of morals, compassion, empathy or normal human emotions that will always use those without a voice to line their pockets and further their own selfish needs. The only cure is serious penalties and upholding the laws. Stop pussy footing around with abusers and give them real punishment, real fines and JAIL time. We could start with Sue Wallis who has clearly violated the law in using her position in government to profit her personal needs and move on towards those who commit animal cruelty. Let’s certainly throw the BLM good old corrupt boys in the pot, who use OUR mustangs to profit their pockets and those cronies they serve. ‘Bout time we cleaned house don’t you think?
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Past time to clean house I figure………….those of us who love horses and are anti-horse slaughter and pro-wild horse and burro being managed in the wild have these freaks on the run. The easiest way to tell is that they (the BLM and the factions that control them) are ramping up the captures of horses and burros, and that is what was done in the late-’60’s right up until the protection act went into law in 1971. With horse slaughter, the breeders are uping their dumping of more horses at the kill sales I’ve noticed, and more so-called “feral” horses (and they are usually BLM horses that have roamed, or been chased, off of their HMA and are then called “feral”) are being captured and run through the kill sales too.
In other words, I’m noticing a lot more scrambling going on in terms of wild horse and burro captures, “feral” horse captures, and breeders dumping more horses for FREE at the kill sales…..sure sign these rats see the writing on the wall that we all are NOT going away, and we are pushing forward with our agenda of exposing their dirty dealings to more of the American public who generally get very irate when they find out what has been, and is being done, to our horses here in the US.
We will win everyone if we keep up the pressure because even if some of our reps are corrupt, at some point, they have to at least act like they are civilized and not in a factions pocket or they will lose the vote from the general public who is insisting that horse slaughter needs to be banned, and our wild horses and burros need to be primarily managed in the wild and on the Open Range.
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100% correct Beverly !!!!!
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