Thanks Stephanie for writing this.  Everyday I find out about another way someone is exploiting animals at their expense.  I went to their website and emailed a few protests to AT&T for sponsoring rodeos and at coca cola for their disregard for animals.   Some people are more "animals" than the animals themselves.............

I've followed this case for some time now, and I am happy to see it finally resolved. SHARK is a necessity in the AR movement; some industries are hostile, but the rodeo industry is extremely hostile and SHARK's persistence is greatly needed. It's the oddest argument: We aren't doing anything wrong, , however, we only want the select handful of individuals in attendance to see that we aren't doing anything wrong. 

Animal cruelty wrapped up in the neat box of "family entertainment" doesn't make it right.  

What I notice is, out here in "cowboy country", that people KNOW this stuff is wrong, but dont' do anything about it.  I have an acquaintence who's son & husband participate in rodeos.  She knows I am a vegan (and that's all she knows about me, really) and looks incredibly uncomfortable anytime anyone asks about the rodeos while I'm standing there.  It reminds me of people who feel uncomfortable eating steak in front of me, too...

Those photographs are frightening. :(

I am from Texas... never been to a rodeo show. I know I've been to one when I was a wee kid, but all I remember is walking through stalls and seeing animals. It's such a big thing down there, though..... in fact, I won a college scholarship of $12,000 from the Montgomery County Livestock Show and Rodeo (I think that's the name of it), but I never got to use it because it could only be used at a Texas public uni (I left the state). I know the Montgomery Country Livestock Show and Rodeo was always connected with all sorts of things my school was doing, namely competitions. One more reason to be glad I left that place!

Rodeos are yet another display of human domination and evil practices.  Animal torture in the rodeo ring often leads to murdering the animal due to the severe injuries they receive during the "hunt". 

These insensitive demons use gentle horses to chase down gentle cows.  Who thought of this form of idiotic evil?  We are not happy unless we force gentle animals to act barbaricly: such as what humans are.  We are not happy unless we turn vegan animals into cannibals. 

The truth about rodeos is somehow lost on the "blind" parents who enthusiastically bring their children to watch what is so obvious to a child to be animal cruelty.  Rodeos are cruel, violent and evil. 

As the rodeo season begins again in Montana, my stomach starts to turn. Photos of calf roping, broncos and bulls, and kids riding sheep start to hit the local papers again. I am mortified every time I see it. In Montana, it is tradition. People here don't think twice when a calf or horse dies at a rodeo. They put it in the paper as a successful part of the entertainment. I cringe. I have a difficult time finding people who are like-minded and feel sadness for these animals. Most people attend the rodeos because it is "what we do" here. No thought of the cruelty and abuse of the animals that suffer. 

I will again boycott the local "entertainment" and it's sponsors as well. In order to do that, I pretty much have to stay home. There are very few people who do not attend, and very few local businesses that do not promote and sponsor the rodeo here. I have not actually found anyone who is willing to "buck the rodeo" and speak out for the animals. It makes you very unpopular.

I recently became unemployed, not because of the economy. My position was "eliminated" due to the fact that I was the only one in the group who would not attend the rodeo or eat meat at the employee barbecue, or hunt and fish with the rest of the group. If you did not want to be a part of the abuse and cruelty of animals, then you were not a member of the "team". Being a team player, no matter if it had to do with the job or not, is everything to the people here. If you have different views, you don't fit in.

That's okay. I would rather do what's right, not what's popular. You won't see me at the rodeo. I won't patronize the places that "welcome" the rodeo fans or the hunters. I will drive over an hour each way to find the businesses that don't condone this abuse. If the rodeo fans and hunters are welcome...does that say that I am not?

I will assume so, as I never see signs that say "welcome animal protection advocates".

I appreciate your story and your committment.  I can tell you came into this life with a purpose by the mere fact that your aligning yourself with your convictions and what you know to be true. You are becoming more attuned to the presence and sacredness of the animals in this world. This a good thing.

 Your mission is important and only those who are capable are chosen. Your doing more good than you know by anchoring what is right. These next few years will be a turning point for animals around the world and it is because of people like you that a huge transformation will occur.  Thank you.

okay if you guys really were worried about it how about you go to a rodeo and see what really happens. the pictures you see above isn't normally what happens during a rodeo. if u saw one you would see that the animals don't have to do much and sometimes i think you guys want to give animals more rights then us. mayb you people shouldn't be worring about this stuff and start to worry about all the kids and parents who aren't able to support them! this freakin world is crazy and if this is all people have to worry about i guess we need more to do!

nice try holly,  this argument is as old as the people who have been abusing animals. Nobody buys this stuff anymore.

If you don't want to see the abuse then that's your choice but don't expect anyone else to buy into your blindsightesness.

1) You are assuming that we have not been to rodeos. Most of us have seen the cruelty up close, which is why we know what goes on.

2) The photos are the truth.

3) If animals have more rights, why are they the ones chosen to be stripped from their moms while only a couple of months old, put in a chute, shocked to make them run, chocked at full speed with a noose, slammed to the ground on their backs before their bones are fully developed, tied up, legs broken, necks and backs broken, and all the while people laugh and cheer while they are carted off to slaughter? Why not take a CHILD and see how much fun it is to their parents to watch a toddler being chocked and killed while running scared for their lives? That would be a sight, huh? That would be true equal rights, wouldn't it? The difference is that animals are not given the choice. Humans are.

4) Why are humans having children if they can't afford to feed or support them? Isn't that irresponsible and greedy? "Octo-mom" is a great example! I am not going to worry about all of the people having children that can't support them if that was THEIR CHOICE to have them in the first place. Humans are the only animals that have kids and then don't know how to feed them and support them. I've run into 2 acquaintances this week who are both having their third child, neither are married or working, and both said it was an "oops" baby. Hmmmm? Responsible choices?

5) This "freakin' world" is not crazy. HUMANS are irresponsible, inconsiderate, and the cause of most of the problems on this earth. Think about it.

6) Time for YOU to join a cause, support a group and get involved. You are just looking for a fight and aren't going to get that here. I think that you need something to do "holly". I think you are late for class...

By the way...who is "us"? You have no profile and don't have any causes, so who are you speaking for? Just wondering why you have to all of a sudden jump in and try to start up an old conversation, but no one knows who you are or what you stand for. Nice try, as Kathryn said...