Utah has proudly upheld the Days of ‘47 Rodeo convention for over a century, commemorating the arrival of Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. However, behind the spectacle lies a dark reality: the widespread mistreatment of animals participating in the rodeo’s various performances.
Historically, rodeos have symbolized the bravery and skill of Western cowboys. Events like calf roping, steer wrestling, bull and bronco riding test the cowboy’s resilience and courageousness. To induce the exciting performances expected by paying customers, animals used in the rodeo are subjected to various practices designed to intensify the act.
While bulls can be innately aggressive, rodeos will weaponize their instincts against them by using cattle prods in the chute to agitate them. Tight bucking straps are placed around the animal’s abdomen to induce pain and create the desired bucking motion. Even after the cowboy falls off, the animal continues to buck, indicating pain from the strap rather than the rider. Similarly, spurs are used to further agitate and induce agony.
Is this real bravery? Or an exaggerated performance art for the audience? This relentless stress often results in severe injuries, including broken bones, torn ligaments, punctured lungs and internal organ damage. Injured bulls, at times, are deemed worthless and sent to slaughterhouses, highlighting their expendability.
The treatment of bucking horses parallels that of bulls, with additional injuries as bucking horses must be spurred over the shoulders on each buck for the rider to qualify. The spurring often results in blunt shoulder trauma that does not have proper time to heal in between practices or the horse’s next rodeo. At times, these horses are so distressed they run into fence posts, further injuring them. Take, for example, the horse that slammed its head into the wall at the Fort Worth Stock Rodeo and died on impact. Or the horse at the 2014 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo that injured itself by bucking over the fence.
Calf roping involves chasing a calf on a horse, lassoing its neck, and tying its legs together. Calves are often shocked in the chutes with electric prods and tail twisting, prompting them to run faster once released into the arena. The sudden and forceful halt when roped may result in injuries such as skin abrasions, broken bones and torn ligaments. Dr. T.K. Hardy, a veterinarian and retired calf roper, reports that two or three calves can be injured just during practice sessions, rendering them unfit for the actual rodeo. Some calves suffer broken legs, necks or torn ligaments, ending their short lives in suffering.
Steer tripping involves sending a steer into the arena at full speed, lassoing its horns to flip it and “stun” it for the cowboy to tie its legs. Some steers have sores from previous practices and are repeatedly injured, dragged and sometimes trampled by the cowboy’s horse. Steer wrestling involves a cowboy leaping from his horse, grabbing the steer’s horns, and twisting its neck until it falls.
The Days of ‘47 Rodeo will include these events along with additional ones like team calf roping, saddle bronc riding, and barrel racing, all of which have faced similar criticism for their treatment of animals.
Rodeo organizers may claim their animals are cherished and well cared for, but can we truly call this humane treatment? Can we justify subjecting sentient beings to such fear and pain for entertainment? Are fatal injuries and death treating them like family? Is this the legacy we want to leave — a legacy of callous disregard for the suffering of those weaker than us?
Rodeos, including the Utah Days of ‘47, are elaborate cash grabs disguised as cultural celebrations. Behind the facade of tradition lies a multi-million dollar industry driven by ticket sales, sponsorships and merchandise — a stark reminder that profit will always outweigh compassion for some.
As for the men who participate in these events, let us ask ourselves: Is this the kind of masculinity we aspire to? Does true strength lie in dominating and exploiting the vulnerable or compassion and empathy? The answer should be clear.
It’s time for us to demand better — not just for the animals whose pain is conveniently overlooked, but for ourselves as a society. We cannot claim to be civilized while we turn a blind eye to such barbarity in the name of entertainment.
As you plan your summer activities, consider how you want to invest your time and money and the meaningful impact those choices can have.
Halley Gordon is a master of social work student at the University of Utah and an animal rights activist.
Halley Gordon is a master of social work student at the University of Utah and an animal rights activist.
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