With the Australian Professional Rodeo Association’s national finals commencing in Warwick today, Animal Liberation Qld (ALQ) is renewing its call for Agriculture & Fisheries Minister, Mark Furner, and the Qld Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, to show compassion and finally prohibit the cruel rodeo event of calf roping (also known as ‘rope and tie’).
The Queensland Government is currently developing Rodeo Standards & Guidelines, with the latest draft still allowing calf roping, despite a 2016 University of Qld scientific study showing it causes the young animals significant stress. Over 58 000 people have now signed a petition calling for a ban on the event in Queensland and another 14 000 have sent emails to their state MPs and the Minister.
See the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/mark-furner-help-ban-calf-roping-at-queensland-rodeos
ALQ Rodeo Campaign Director Gayle D’Arcy said: "Only two days ago Minister Furner said Queensland would not stand for cruelty to animals. He was responding to the current horse racing scandal, but surely vulnerable calves who are similarly exploited for sport and entertainment, are just as entitled to care and respect."
Ms D’Arcy added, "The Premier also stated this week that she wants to make sure her government leaves no stone unturned to stamp out animal cruelty. Calf roping is a particularly abhorrent rodeo event already prohibited in Victoria and South Australia, so getting rid of it would definitely be a positive step for rodeo animal welfare in Queensland. Calf roping is a nasty spectacle, sets a poor example to children, and our footage of the event is frequently given a graphic content warning on social media, which is totally at odds with the rodeo industry’s claim that it is a family-friendly sport."
Further information: The role of the calf in calf roping is primarily as an object to be thrown around at speed. They are chased by riders on horseback, then roped brutally around the neck as they run away, before being picked up, dropped down and finally tied up. Mis-ropings, which place the calves at further injury risk, are frequent and do not even result in disqualification, making talk of the event keeping traditional skills alive a nonsense.
Independent representative polling of Queenslanders undertaken earlier this year showed a clear majority opposed to the event.
Download report showing full results of the polling here:
https://alq.org.au/sites/default/files/article_files/ALQ%20Calf%20Roping%20Report%20FINAL.pdf
Footage available for download:
https://vimeo.com/animallibqld/download/363988129/9419a8e2c3
https://vimeo.com/animallibqld/download/365678217/968818e52d
https://vimeo.com/animallibqld/download/335781592/0c8f4abce6
Further comment - [email protected]
