Bull Riding: Friends of Animals — Young and Old — Take a Stand
By Edita Birnkrant
Friday, 9 January 2009, Madison Square Garden — On a bitter cold evening, the Professional Bull Riders began an opening night performance in New York City. Rodeo-style events are often billed as “family entertainment” but the spectacle known as bull riding involves numerous physical assaults on bulls, all designed to provoke the aggressive bucking that adds to the score as each rider stays atop the bull. Bucking straps, metal spurs, and other instruments of torment are routinely used in this false show of domination and control over bulls who are forced into this so-called sporting event.
Such a degrading event has no place in society. Outside the arena, for the second year in a row, Friends of Animals and supporters gathered in a show of dissent. We educated ticket-holders and passersby to the realities of bull riding with our rodeo and bull riding information flyers; we held posters that challenged the idea of a display of domination being called entertainment.
The dozens of supporters who braved the weather handed out hundreds of flyers and won the attention of every single person entering and passing by the arena.
Friends of Animals supporter Jason brought 2 ½ -year-old Shane to the protest, showing it’s never to early to educate children about justice and respect— the values we all stood for that night.
The Village Voice covered our protest and will include our perspective in an upcoming feature article on the business of bull riding.
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7 Comments
On January 21, 2009, Debbie wrote:
I think the people protesting these functions should stop and really take a look at what they are doing, these bulls are well cared for and well fed. Do you see blood running from there sides because of spurs? NO. they have a bucking strap that is no worst than a woman wearing a girdle. Would you rather see them in the meat counter in pieces that in a ring ripping some cowboy apart.
[Blog editors’ note: Fascinating explanation above to justify some would-be cowboy’s fantasy about dominating a male bovine. The bucking strap is used to provoke and stress a bull, and no one is justified in imposing it on any animal. As for meat counters, that’s the end of the line for bulls who so-called cowboys define as losers. Actually, the losers are the riders and spectators. What an antiquated, grotesque spectacle.]
On January 23, 2009, Maryanne Appel wrote:
Bull riding is yet another bombastic show of humans’ domination over members of other species. Whether or not cruel bucking straps, shocks (5,000 volts!), or spurs are used to torment sentient, cognizant beings into performing, bull riding has no place in our society. Besides the obvious pain and distress experienced by the animals, bull riding brings out the worst in people, when we should be striving to be our best.
And when the spectators return home after “a really great show!”, what happens to the animals who entertained them? Do they get to “go home”, or simply back into the trucks that transport them from one event to another?
When overhearing “That bull went WILD!”, a comment by one spectator who had witnessed a bull being pepper sprayed, I wondered how high - or low - some individuals set their priorities.
Obviously (and I am not at all condoning bull riding or any other form of animal abuse) in an earlier time, ranch hands used outrageous antics with bulls and other animals as a source of entertainment. Is it still going on simply because it’s “a tradition”? I believe it’s time we stopped excusing our many self-serving uses of animals, from eating them, forcing them to entertain us, experimenting on them in labs, etc., because it’s easier to just listen to those who tell us “They’re only animals,” “It’s just the way things are,” “Better them than us!” and “It’s a tradition!” (like the Thanksgiving turkey and the Christmas ham, and the animals bred into existence whom we call pets).
If there was ever a time for serious reflection on how we treat others, and the examples we set for our children, it is now.
On January 27, 2009, C. Fox wrote:
The same goes for Circuses, Horse Racing, Dog Racing, Rodeos, and other forms of “entertainment.” Yes, I put them all in the same category as exploitation of animals for a profit..and always at the animal’s expense.
On January 28, 2009, michael flayac wrote:
with all due respect ,you friends of the animals coming from north america and with arrogance want to change peoples of other culture such as south america often you are greeted with resentment ,all living animals have been placed on earth by GOD and it is for us to manage wisely and i do not need gringos with your macdonald culture most of you are fat and undisciplined dont tell us what to do in our country as you should lurn from us as most south american culture do have a 50 per cent divorce rate.have agood day michael
[Blog editors’ note: When you start a lecture “with all due respect,” trying extending such respect. The rant above sounds unhinged and your divorce rate is of no consequence. Trying to dominate bulls as an expression of bravado, or status is insipid and thoughtful people in all cultures are capable of understanding this concept. Have a deep-thinking evening, Michael. ]
On February 4, 2009, S.Dancer wrote:
I’m a student researching animal justice issues and I really enjoy reading your site. The FoA organization is such a good hearted cause and the people who support it have good intentions. I’d like to think bull riders have respectful intentions in mind when riding a bull, but it’s hard to see the benefits given to the bull by competing in this sport. Thanks loads for all this fascinating info.
On July 23, 2009, pat wrote:
I went to a rodeo in wy. i was saddened by how these animals are treated.the bulls are tormented the horses have something done to them to make them buck. they are than crated in horrible trailers and on to next rodeo. i hollered yea bull when rider got thrown. what is wrong with people that they treat animals like this. animals who cant speak for themselves
On July 16, 2010, megan avery wrote:
Bull riding makes me sick. I thought they only do it in the summer, then the bulls graze & rest in winter, which is fair enough, a lot better than a slaughterhouse anyway, but no, the torture & non-rest go on all year. And most even go to slaughter after, it’s just sick. It’s pathetic and beyond the word cruel!