Tag: Rodeo

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News/Blog

New study finds calves show signs of fear and stress before calf-roping events even begin

A roped calf lies on the ground at the Calgary Stampede rodeo
Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

Image: Jo-Anne McArthur \ We Animals Media

  • A new peer-reviewed study adds to the growing body of evidence that calf-roping puts young animals through fear and stress.
  • The study analyzed video footage of calves confined in chutes before being released into the arena for calf-roping events in Australia.
  • The findings are deeply concerning: every calf observed showed at least one behaviour associated with a negative emotional state, such as fear or stress.
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“Welfare concerns begin while calves are still confined in the chute”

Calf-roping, also called tie-down roping, involves a young calf being released from a chute, chased by a rider on horseback, roped around the neck, stopped abruptly, forced to the ground, and tied by the legs.

Animal welfare concerns have long focused on the risk of stress, pain, and injury during the event itself. This study shows that welfare concerns begin even earlier, while calves are still confined in the chute.

A calf lying in the ground with 3 of it's legs tied together and a rope around it's neck.
Calf-roping event at The Calgary Stampede. Jo-Anne McArthur \ We Animals Media.

Researchers reviewed clips of 31 calves

Some were held in the chute for shorter periods, 28 to 51 seconds, while others were held longer, 52 to 166 seconds. They recorded visible behaviours using an assessment tool known as an ethogram.

“Red flag” behaviours included:

  • Showing more of the eye white
  • mouth opening
  • sticking tongue out
  • rearing
  • tail swishing
  • escape attempts

The study found that calves held for longer periods showed more frequent red flag behaviours. These included more mouth opening, sticking out their tongues, rearing, and escape attempts.

Inherently inhumane practices

The researchers concluded that calves experience fear and stress while confined in the chute before release, and that longer confinement was associated with increased signs of stress.

These findings matter because they challenge the idea that rodeo events can be made humane through minor rule changes or handling adjustments. Even before the event started, calves were already showing signs of stress.

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Causing stress in animals should not be entertainment

The study also notes that calves in rodeo settings may be exposed to multiple stressors, including separation from other calves, confinement, loud noises, sudden movements, close contact with handlers, and the inability to escape.

Calves are young, vulnerable animals. Their fear and stress should not be dismissed as part of a show. The findings of this study support what animal welfare advocates have been stating for years: animals should not be used as tools for entertainment.

You can read the full study here.

What you can do to help

The VHS continues to call for an end to inhumane and high-risk rodeo events and for stronger protections for animals in entertainment. You can help by using the quick action tool and sending a message to government decision-makers, taking the ‘Say No to Rodeo’ pledge and encouraging friends and family not to attend rodeo events, and sharing this post!

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Media Release

Two chuckwagons collided at Saturday’s chuckwagon race, leading to serious injury for horse 

VANCOUVER, July 12, 2026 – A horse has been seriously injured during the July 11th chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede, prompting renewed calls from the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) to remove the dangerous event from the Stampede program. 

The horse suffered a serious injury when two teams collided while attempting to round the barrels during heat 3 of the races. Stampede representatives shared that an initial exam revealed no fractures, but the injury is considered serious. The incident again highlights the inherent risks of the chuckwagon event. 

For the VHS, the news lands as familiar and disheartening. The organization has tracked animal injuries and deaths at the Stampede since 1986, with 110 known animal deaths to date and 79 of those in chuckwagon racing alone. 

“Every year we hope this won’t happen again, but nearly every year there are horse injuries and deaths during the chuckwagon races,” said Emily Pickett, Campaign Director at the VHS. “The chuckwagon races are dubbed ‘the half-mile of hell’ for a reason. They simply aren’t safe for the horses and the track record of injuries and deaths reflects this reality.” 

The VHS says the risk to horses is built into the event itself. Wagons and horses race in close proximity and take tight turns at high speed, and the horses used are typically thoroughbreds bred for speed rather than skeletal health. Track and equipment adjustments made over the years, such as reducing the number of horses per heat, have not changed this underlying risk. 

At the same time, public concern around the use of animals in rodeo events continues to grow. Research Co. polling from 2024 showed a majority of Calgarians oppose calf roping, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and chuckwagon racing.  Similar polling from 2022 found that removing rodeo and chuckwagon events would have little to no effect on Stampede attendance.   

The VHS is calling for the rodeo and chuckwagon races to be removed from the Stampede program to prevent more suffering and deaths. The organization is encouraging people to sign a pledge not to attend the rodeo and chuckwagon races and send a message directly to government decision-makers as part of its Rodeo Truth project, run in collaboration with concerned Calgarians.   

— ends — 

SOURCE Vancouver Humane Society 

For more information, contact: 

Emily Pickett 
Campaign Director, Vancouver Humane Society 
604-416-2901 
emily@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca 

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News/Blog

Two chuckwagons collided at Saturday’s chuckwagon race, leading to serious injury for horse

Photo: Reddit user thicketcosplay

  • During a Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby chuckwagon race on July 11, 2026, a horse suffered serious injuries when two teams collided while attempting to round the barrels.
  • Stampede representatives state “an initial exam revealed no fractures but the injury is considered serious”. The incident again highlights the inherent risks of the chuckwagon event.
  • The chuckwagon races are by far the deadliest animal event at the Calgary Stampede, accounting for 79 of 110 known animal fatalities since the VHS began tracking deaths at the Stampede rodeo and chuckwagons in 1986.
  • Animal deaths happen almost every year at the Stampede. In 2025, a horse named Rider suffered a fracture to his left-front cannon bone during a chuckwagon race and was euthanized.

TAKE ACTION: Use the quick action tool to call on government decision-makers to work with organizers to remove these inhumane and deadly animal events from the Stampede program.  

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Horse seriously injured after two chuckwagon teams collided

A horse has reportedly been seriously injured following a collision during the Calgary Stampede’s chuckwagon races on July 11.

The Calgary Herald reported that Chance Flad’s Bar L5 Ranch wagon and Wade Salmond’s De Havilland Aircraft of Canada wagon failed to finish Heat 3 after their horses collided while rounding the barrels. Witnesses said two horses went down in the crash.

a horse being lifted into a trailer behind a privacy tarp on the track.
Photo: Reddit user thicketcosplay

One was eventually able to walk from the track, while the other remained down and was lifted into a trailer behind a privacy tarp.

CTV News Calgary reported that the horse is considered seriously injured and is undergoing evaluation.

Horse injured during chuckwagon races but X-rays show no fractures: Stampede CEO

A horse took a fall during the Rangeland Derby at the Calgary Stampede Saturday night.

Nearly every year, there are animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede.

This incident is another reminder of the inherent risks that the chuckwagon races pose to horses due to the extremely high speed, tight turns, close proximity of wagons and horses to each other, and use of thoroughbred horses who are bred for speed rather than skeletal strength.

At least 110 animals have lost their lives at the Stampede rodeo and chuckwagons since 1986, when the VHS began keeping track. 79 of these deaths were horses used in the chuckwagon races.

In 2025, a horse named Rider was euthanized after a catastrophic leg injury during a chuckwagon race. The 2024 Stampede was the deadliest since 2019, with 4 animal fatalities during the 10-day event. 3 chuckwagon horses suffered unrecoverable injuries and a steer’s neck was broken during a wrestling event.

Injuries and deaths may also be underreported, as it can take up to 48 hours after an incident for an injury to present.  

Public polling in recent years reflects growing opposition to the use of animals in rodeo.

2022

Removal of the rodeo and chuckwagon events from the Stampede program would have virtually no impact on attendance rates and would bring in new crowds.  

2023

A majority of Albertans oppose the use of animals in rodeo. 

2024

 A majority of Calgarians oppose calf roping, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and chuckwagon racing. In addition to this, 67% of Calgarians oppose government funding of rodeo events. 

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Take #SayNoToRodeo pledge

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As the 2026 Calgary Stampede begins, the VHS continues to call for an end to inhumane rodeo and deadly chuckwagon races

A roped calf lies on the ground at the Calgary Stampede rodeo
Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

Photo: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media.

  • The 2026 Calgary Stampede is underway from July 3 to 12, bringing with it the return of controversial rodeo events and deadly chuckwagon races that continue to put animals at risk of injury and that result in near-annual animal deaths.
  • To date, at least 110 animals have lost their lives at the Calgary Stampede since the VHS began tracking fatalities in 1986 – an astonishing average of one animal death every 3.5 days of competition.
  • There are many ways to enjoy the city during Stampede season without supporting rodeo or chuckwagon events. Check out the cruelty-free Stampede events calendar and share it with friends, family, and coworkers.

TAKE ACTION: Sign the #SayNoToRodeo pledge and send a message to decision-makers to call for the removal of inhumane and deadly animal events from the annual Stampede program.

Take #SayNoToRodeo pledge
Email decision-makers
Learn more
Discover cruelty-free events

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Rodeos and chuckwagon races are fast-paced, timed events that put animals’ safety at risk.

The chuckwagon races are promoted as the “half-mile of hell” and involve teams of horses attached to wagons that are pulled at high speed, making tight turns, and in close proximity to each other.

Beyond the risk of injury and death, animals used in rodeo events are also subjected to stress and suffering.

Chuckwagon racing at The Calgary Stampede

Many rodeo activities, including bucking, roping, and wrestling events, use tools and practices like spurs, flank straps, and rough handling to provoke “fight or flight” responses in the animals.

These events rely on the use of fear, stress, and discomfort to make animals flee and buck.

Nearly every year, there are animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede.

At least 110 animals have lost their lives at the Stampede since 1986, when the VHS began keeping track. Most deaths occur during the chuckwagon races due to the fast pace and close proximity of the horses and wagons.

In 2025, a horse named Rider was euthanized after a catastrophic leg injury during a chuckwagon race. The 2024 Stampede was the deadliest since 2019, with 4 animal fatalities during the 10-day event. 3 chuckwagon horses suffered irrecoverable injuries and a steer’s neck was broken during a wrestling event.

Injuries and deaths may also be underreported, as it can take up to 48 hours after an incident for an injury to present.  

Public polling in recent years reflects growing opposition to the use of animals in rodeo.

2022

Removal of the rodeo and chuckwagon events from the Stampede program would have virtually no impact on attendance rates and would bring in new crowds.  

2023

A majority of Albertans oppose the use of animals in rodeo. 

2024

 A majority of Calgarians oppose calf roping, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and chuckwagon racing. In addition to this, 67% of Calgarians oppose government funding of rodeo events. 

Email decision-makers
Take #SayNoToRodeo pledge

Attend alternative cruelty-free events around Calgary

There are many ways to enjoy the city during Stampede season without supporting rodeo or chuckwagon events. Check out the cruelty-free Stampede events calendar and share it with friends, family, and coworkers.

Join the “Buck the Rodeo” Rally

The Calgary Animal Rights Effort is hosting a peaceful rally to raise awareness about the animal welfare issues at the rodeo and chuckwagon races.

Saturday and Sunday,
July 4 and 5th, 11th and 12th.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. MDT
Victoria Park / Stampede Station, Calgary

The rally will meet across from the Victoria/Stampede C-Train Station. Signs will be available, and you are welcome to bring your own.

Discover cruelty-free events around calgary

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Media Release

Vancouver Humane Society files cruelty complaint after Clinton Rodeo footage reveals apparent animal welfare violations 

VANCOUVER, July 2, 2026 — The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) has filed a cruelty complaint with the BC SPCA after a review of footage from this year’s Clinton Rodeo identified four concerning incidents involving the inhumane treatment of animals. 

Animal Cruelty at the 2026 Clinton Rodeo.

Animals used in rodeos continue to face serious welfare risks in B.C. Animals deserve stronger protections, and taxpayer dollars should not support events where animals are put at risk for entertainment. Take quick action for animals used in rodeos through the link in our bio.

This is not the first time the Clinton Rodeo has faced scrutiny. Following the 2024 rodeo, the BC SPCA investigated after footage showed a visibly stressed bull being shocked with an electric prod—including on the animal’s anus—as well as a horse being repeatedly struck in the face and punched in the neck while in the bucking chute.  

Most concerning in this year’s footage, two animals appear to be repeatedly shocked with a handheld electric prod during a junior steer riding event—a direct violation of the British Columbia Rodeo Association’s (BCRA) own 2026 rule book, which states that “no animal shall be beaten, mutilated, or cruelly prodded” and which prohibits the use of prods in riding events except to load an animal. In both cases, the animal is confined in the bucking chute and has a rider on their back, for which the rule book outlines a $1,000 fine. Repeated violations are to result in a stock contractor’s card being reduced to probationary status or suspended pending review, according to the current rules. 

Electric prod use at Clinton Rodeo 2026

Clinton Rodeo has again been the subject of a cruelty complaint by the Vancouver Humane Society after video footage from the event shows electric prod use in apparent violation of the BC Rodeo Association’s rules.

Footage of two additional incidents from this year’s rodeo shows an agitated horse being repeatedly whipped by a rider and a handler striking a visibly stressed steer with a paddle. 

“Every rodeo we have monitored across the province has shown animals experiencing visible fear, stress, and unnecessary risk of harm.” said Emily Pickett, Campaign Director at the VHS. “These are not isolated incidents. They are what happens when an industry is allowed to regulate itself with no independent oversight and little meaningful legal protection for the animals involved. ” 

The VHS continues to call on the B.C. government to end public funding of rodeo events and to take steps to better protect animals from suffering in these events. In 2026, more than $400,000 in provincial funding was awarded to events that include rodeos, despite polling showing that a strong majority of British Columbians oppose government funding of rodeo events. 

British Columbians who want to take action can send a message to the provincial government calling for an end to public funding of rodeo events and better protections for animals used in rodeo. 

— ends — 

SOURCE Vancouver Humane Society 

For more information, contact: 

Emily Pickett 
Campaign Director, Vancouver Humane Society 
604-416-2901 
emily@vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca 

Additional links: https://vancouverhumanesociety.bc.ca/posts/the-2026-bc-rodeo-season-is-underway/  

Additional media:  

Inhumane handling at the 2026 Clinton Rodeo: https://youtu.be/6r9xTBH7Qvg  
Electric prod use: https://youtu.be/qfm6PUUHRJU

Categories
News/Blog

Welfare concerns renewed after fall involving horse and rider during bucking event at Cloverdale Rodeo 

Image credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals. Bucking event at Calgary Stampede.

  • A horse and rider are recovering after a saddle bronc bucking incident at the 2026 Cloverdale Rodeo.
  • The incident raises renewed concerns about high-risk and high-stress rodeo events that put both people and animals in danger.
  • Rodeo events like saddle bronc riding rely on animals reacting under pressure, which can cause fear, stress, and risk of injury.
  • The VHS is calling for an end to inhumane rodeo events and to the use of taxpayer dollars to support them.
Learn more about welfare concerns
Take action
Read the full article

Take action: Ask decision-makers to stop using public funds to support rodeo events and to strengthen protections for animals used in entertainment. 

Image credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals

A horse and rider are recovering after a saddle bronc incident at this past weekend’s Cloverdale Rodeo, renewing concerns about high-risk and high-stress rodeo events that put both people and animals in danger. 

According to the Surrey Now-Leader, the incident took place on Saturday night during the 2026 Cloverdale Rodeo. Rider Nick Patterson and the horse Spring Season became tangled during a saddle bronc bucking event and went down together. Patterson was transported by ambulance for further evaluation and later released, while Spring Season is reportedly recovering. 

The reported recovery of both Spring Season and Patterson is welcome news. Still, the incident raises broader safety and animal welfare concerns.

Rodeo poses a risk to both human participants and animals, but unlike humans, the animals did not choose to be there. 

Rodeo events like saddle bronc riding rely on animals reacting under pressure, putting both human participants and animals at risk of stress and injury.  

For example, in saddle bronc riding and other bucking events, animals are confined in chutes and released into an arena for an event built around provoking or maintaining a bucking response. Equipment and practices such as flank straps and spurring add pressure to the animal’s experience.  

bull riding at a rodeo

Image: bull riding/bucking event at Chilliwack rodeo

Animal welfare is about more than whether an animal survives or avoids visible injury.

It includes their physical health, emotional state, ability to express natural behaviours, freedom from fear, pain, and distress, and ability to have some control over what happens to them. 

Incidents like this also point to the need for stronger public policy, including ending public funding for rodeo events and strengthening regulations to better protect animals. 

That is why the VHS continues to call for an end to rodeo events that cause animal suffering, stress, injury, and death.  

Communities can come together, celebrate tradition, and enjoy local events without putting animals through fear and stress for public entertainment. 

Take action now for animal welfare
Read the full article

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Time for change: tell Calgary’s new Mayor and Council to end rodeo and chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede

  • Nearly every year, animals continue to be injured or killed in dangerous rodeo and chuckwagon events at the Calgary Stampede.
  • At least 110 animals have died at the Calgary Stampede since 1986, an astonishing average of one death every 3.5 days of competition.
  • The Vancouver Humane Society is urging Calgary’s newly elected Mayor and Council to remove the chuckwagon races and rodeo events from the annual Stampede program.

TAKE ACTION:

Step 1: Tell Calgary’s NEW Mayor and Council to remove these inhumane and deadly animal events from the Stampede program. 

Step 2: Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge to reflect your opposition to the use of animals in rodeo events.

Send a Message
Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge
Learn More

Email Calgary’s Mayor and Council 

#SayNoToRodeo at the Calgary Stampede

Check out RodeoTruth.com for more information about the rodeo and chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede. This public awareness project is a collaboration between the Vancouver Humane Society and concerned Calgarians.  

To keep spreading the word about why the Calgary Stampede should buck inhumane animal events, follow RodeoTruth on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok and share the posts.

Image credit: Jo-Anne McArthur, We Animals

What happened at the 2025 Calgary Stampede?

  • A horse named Rider suffered a fracture to his left-front cannon bone during a chuckwagon race and was euthanized.    
  • Video clips show the risk of injury to animals, such as a steer who was flipped over and whose neck was repeatedly twisted. Last year, a steer used in steer wrestling was euthanized due to a serious neck injury. 
  • Footage also shows people at risk of injury, including children. 
  • Animals are hit and roughly handled. In one clip, a handler uses a rope to agitate a bull’s neck while another person behind the scenes calls the bull obscene names. 
  • Animals show signs of fear and stress, including widened eyes, tense open mouths, excessive salivation, thrashing in chutes, panicked behaviours, and resisting handlers. 

Content warning: The following footage shows a fatal incident and animals showing signs of stress and fear.   

Animals pay the price for “entertainment” at the 2025 Calgary Stampede

No Description

Stress, suffering & risk of injury or death in rodeo events

  • Calf roping: Calves are chased, roped by the neck, abruptly stopped, and thrown to the ground, which can cause neck injuries, bruising, and stress. 
  • Steer wrestling: Steers have their necks twisted and are slammed to the ground, risking serious injury. 
  • Bucking events: Bulls and horses are fitted with flank straps and spurred to provoke bucking, a reaction caused by discomfort and fear. 
  • Chuckwagon races: High-speed collisions and crashes often result in catastrophic injuries and death. 
  • In 2025, a horse was euthanized after a serious leg injury in the chuckwagon races. 
  • In 2024, four animals died: three horses during chuckwagon races and one steer whose neck was broken in a steer wrestling event. 

Despite efforts to improve safety, animal fatalities continue almost every year, demonstrating that these events are inherently dangerous. 

Tools & practices that cause distress

  • Flank straps and spurs are used to provoke animals into fleeing and bucking. 
  • Animals often show visible signs of fear and stress: wide eyes, drooling, open mouths, vocalizations, and defecation. 
  • Rodeo footage often shows rough handling — hitting, kicking, tail twisting, and ear pulling. 

The Vancouver Humane Society is urging the newly elected City of Calgary Mayor and Council to remove rodeo and chuckwagon events from the Calgary Stampede program by collaborating with Stampede organizers or implementing bylaws to prohibit harmful events. Cities like Vancouver, Port Moody, and the District of North Vancouver have already banned rodeos. 

Public opposition to rodeo is growing 

  • A 2022 Research Co. poll found removing rodeo and chuckwagon events would have little to no effect on Stampede attendance. 
  • 61% of Canadians and 49% of Albertans opposed the use of animals in rodeo (2022). 
  • By 2023, opposition grew to 67% of Canadians and 53% of Albertans. 
  • 2024 polls showed majorities of Calgarians oppose calf roping, steer wrestling, bronc riding, and chuckwagon racing. 
  • 67% of Calgarians now oppose government funding for rodeos. (2024)

The Future of the Stampede 

The Calgary Stampede has evolved over the decades to incorporate other attractions, including a large art festival; Indigenous performers and artists at the Elbow River Camp; the Midway rides and games; and live music featuring today’s top bands and local musicians. 

  • It’s time to embrace a cruelty-free future that brings people together without animal suffering. 
  • Removing these harmful events would align the Stampede with modern values of compassion and respect for animals. 

Together, We Can Make a Difference

📢 Call on Calgary’s NEW Mayor and City Council to end rodeo and chuckwagon events at the Stampede! 

Together, we can ensure the Calgary Stampede continues as an exciting celebration, without cruelty. 

TAKE ACTION

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News/Blog

The VHS continues to speak out against inhumane rodeo events

This summer, the VHS planned a billboard and radio ad campaign in Calgary to raise awareness about animal welfare issues during the Stampede. Disappointingly, just before launch, the ad agencies cancelled the campaign, blocking any messaging about animal welfare.

But the VHS didn’t stay silent. We shared with the media about the censorship of animal welfare messages, supported local advocates by providing outreach materials at protests and events around the city, and ran an in-depth online ad campaign to ensure the animals’ voices were heard.

Sadly, a horse named Rider suffered a leg injury during a chuckwagon race and was euthanized, marking 110 known animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede since the VHS began tracking fatalities in 1986.

Content warning: The following video shows footage of animal suffering in rodeo events.

Meanwhile, the VHS’s advocacy for animals used in rodeo continued in our home province. In B.C., for the second year in a row, the VHS filmed inhumane and potentially illegal use of electric prods and rough handling of animals at the Coombs rodeo. A cruelty complaint has again been filed and the BC SPCA has opened an investigation.

The VHS continues to call on decision-makers in Alberta and B.C. to end inhumane rodeo events and government funding of them.

Learn more about rodeo
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News/Blog

Coombs rodeo event results in cruelty complaint for second year in a row 

  • The VHS has once again filed a cruelty complaint with the BC SPCA after new footage from the 2025 Bulls, Broncs & Barrels rodeo event in Coombs revealed troubling treatment of animals for the second year in a row. 
  • This year’s footage captures potentially illegal use of electric prods on bulls; stressed and agitated animals being harshly handled; and an injury to a horse who rears up in the bucking chute and lands on the structure, resulting in a bloody wound. 

TAKE ACTION: Join the VHS in calling for an end to inhumane rodeo events and to stop B.C. government funding that supports them.

Take action
Video footage
Learn more

Call on the B.C. government to prohibit inhumane rodeo events and to stop using taxpayer dollars to support them.

Disturbing footage shows improper electric prod use, rough handling at Coombs rodeo

Animal welfare concerns at Coombs rodeo event, 2025

The Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) has filed a cruelty complaint with the BC SPCA after new footage from last weekend’s Bulls, Broncs & Barrels rodeo event in Coombs revealed potentially illegal use of electric prods and other animal welfare concerns.

Footage: Suzanne Goodwin

Learn more

Repeat concerns over electric prod use 

Last year’s Coombs rodeo event drew a cruelty complaint after footage showed potentially illegal electric prod use on bulls and inhumane handling of a fallen horse. Disturbingly, new footage from this year shows similar issues. 

Videos show bulls being shocked with an electric prod in ways that appear to violate Canadian animal handling regulations. These regulations prohibit: 

  • Repeated prodding of the same animal. 
  • Prodding animals who cannot move due to barriers such as overcrowded pens or blocked chutes. 

Footage from the 2025 event appears to show both of these rules being broken. 

The device used—believed to be a Hot-Shot Power-Mite—can deliver shocks of 4,500 volts. 

Stressed animals, injury, and rough handling 

Additional footage from the Coombs rodeo event highlights visibly stressed animals. Clips show animals thrashing in tight chutes, rearing up, and resisting handlers. 

A bull is seen laying on the ground following a bucking event and is then kicked and pulled by the tail and ropes until he rises. 

Two horses rear up out of the bucking chute and crash into metal posts. One of the horses appears to sustain a wound, with bloody abrasions visible on both days of the event.

Show photos of horse injuries
Saturday, August 16 at Coombs rodeo event.
Sunday, August 17 at Coombs rodeo event.

Calls for change at Ministry of Tourism

These recurring concerns underscore the urgent need for change.  

The VHS has written to the B.C. Ministry of Tourism to express concerns about public funding, provided through the B.C. Fairs, Festivals and Events (BCFFE) fund, to events that include rodeos. In 2023 and 2024, $780,000+ and $680,000+ were awarded to events that include rodeo, respectively.    

Another Ministry of Tourism funding program, the Destination Events Program, lists rodeos as an event eligible for funding.  

Provincial government must protect animals used in rodeo

The VHS has also raised concerns with provincial decision-makers about the overall lack of protections for animals used in rodeos, pointing to previous footage of various rodeos across B.C. and to the failure to enforce animal protection laws that prohibit causing distress. 

The VHS is calling for an end to inhumane rodeo events and urging B.C.’s Ministry of Tourism to exclude rodeos from publicly funded grant programs. 

By investing in compassionate and inclusive community events, the province can ensure public funds are directed toward celebrations that bring people together without putting animals at risk of harm. 

Public opposition to rodeo events & funding 

Research Co. polling shows a growing majority of British Columbians are opposed to the use of animals in rodeo events and to taxpayer dollars being used to support rodeo events. 

Take action: Help end cruel rodeo practices in B.C. by contacting the B.C. government today. 

Take action
Categories
News/Blog

Another deadly Calgary Stampede comes to close; the calls for change continue  

Image: Sportsnet
  • Rider, a horse who suffered a serious leg injury during the chuckwagon races, was euthanized; another tragic loss in an event that claims the lives of horses nearly every year. 
  • Rider’s death marks 110 known animal fatalities at the Calgary Stampede since 1986, with 79 from the chuckwagon races alone. Last year, three horses and one steer also died during Stampede events. 
  • Beyond the headline tragedies is the routine cruelty of rodeo: fear, stress, and force inflicted on animals for entertainment.  
  • This year’s Stampede footage lays bare a painful truth: for the animals, rodeo is terror, not tradition. It’s time to end the suffering. 

Take action

  1. Use the quick action tool to send a message to government decision-makers, urging them to remove the deadly chuckwagon races and inhumane rodeo events from the Stampede program.
  2. Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge to reflect your opposition to the use of animals in rodeo events.
Take action
What happened at the 2025 Stampede?

Use the template email below to send a message to Calgary City Council and Alberta decision-makers. If you live in Alberta, the message will also be sent to your MLA.

Take the #SayNoToRodeo pledge to reflect your opposition to the use of animals in rodeo. The number of signatures will be shared by the VHS in engagement with decision-makers. 

Photo: Sportsnet

What happened at 2025 Calgary Stampede?

  • A horse named Rider suffered a fracture to his left-front cannon bone during Heat 8 of the Saturday chuckwagon races and was euthanized.   
  • Clips show the risk of injury to animals, such as a steer who was flipped over and whose neck was repeatedly twisted. Last year, a steer used in steer wrestling was euthanized due to a serious neck injury.
  • Footage also shows people at risk of injury, including children.
  • Animals are hit and roughly handled. In one clip, a handler uses a rope to agitate a bull’s neck while another person behind the scenes calls the bull obscene names.
  • Animals show signs of fear and stress, including widened eyes, tense open mouths, excessive salivation, thrashing in chutes, panicked behaviours, and resisting handlers.

Content warning: The following footage shows a fatal incident and animals showing signs of stress and fear. 

Animals pay the price for “entertainment” at the 2025 Calgary Stampede

The 2025 Stampede once again resulted in the tragic death of a horse used in chuckwagon racing. Footage from this year’s rodeo events also shows the risk of injury to animals and people, the rough handling of animals, and signs of fear and stress.

RodeoTruth.com

Cover photo: Sportsnet