In New Zealand, approximately 30 rodeo events are held every summer, featuring activities such as bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, team roping, and calf roping. These events involve significant risks to animal welfare, resulting in injuries and fatalities.
Rodeos inherently involve cruelty, and we believe that they cannot be made safe through regulation. These events promote and normalise violence against animals, dulling society’s sensitivity to animal suffering. This is particularly concerning for children who learn a skewed perception of “acceptable” animal treatment, shaping their long-term attitudes towards animal welfare.
AJP advocates for non-violent, community-friendly entertainment that aligns with society’s progressive concerns and higher ethical and moral principles, and does not exploit and undermine animals’ well-being.
Key Objectives:
- Ban all forms of rodeo activities involving animals.
Interim measures, while we work towards the ban, include:
- Change advertising practices to remove ‘family-friendly’ messaging.
- Implement a rapid phase-out of all rodeo events within a specified timeframe to eliminate this source of animal cruelty.
- Increase funding and support for cruelty-free community sporting events.