A distressed, panicking horse somersaulted. Another distressed horse fell, trapping his head under his neck. Horses and bulls had their mouths open, grey tongues flopping.
Dozens of animals tried to escape, requiring release under the welfare code, which was ignored. The same animals were used repeatedly, and tried to escape every time.
They are telling their story of rodeo to a government that refuses to listen.
It is a travesty that animals are reduced to fear and pain to entertain a small number of people, many of whom are not the wider public but a particular segment of the community where the cruelty of rodeo is proudly inter-generational in the way animal travelling circuses were once hosted by generations.
Mid Northern was a two-day rodeo, meaning the same animals were used over both days.
This included calves a few months old.
The exhaustion animals must have felt was particularly apparent with steers used in the animal wrestling competition and steer roping.
They were used six times over the weekend, and did not have the energy to stand or run after being subjected to the events.
Many lay motionless on the ground and required handlers to encourage them to stand.
When they did, many appeared dazed and stood motionless. Some moved, only to then stop, before moving again, slowly.
Supporters will say this showed they enjoyed it, applying the same kind of distorted thinking rapists apply to their victims, but the animals can only have been exhausted from pain, fear, and the sheer physicality of the events.
You cannot throw animals around and twist their heads 180 degrees and not expect this to be the case.
It is bizarre and backward that our government tolerates this abuse in defiance of animal welfare laws, and approves of the animal wrestling event, the strangulation of calves, pulling the legs out from underneath steers, animal-throwing and the use of instruments of torture.
Those involved in the chain of growing animals for profit, including farmers, are heavily involved in rodeo. Farmers provide animals, and take part in rodeo organising and competing.
This informs the public of the attitudes towards animals that are imbedded in some parts of the farming community.
There are also farmers who are as appalled by the treatment of animals at rodeo as the rest of us.
Many animals tortured in rodeos make it into the food chain for export to the UK and other vital markets.
For example, rodeo bulls used at the former Huntly rodeo were slaughtered at the Greenlea Premier Meat plant that exports.
The government may want to think about this, if not animal welfare.
- Lynn Charlton is with Anti Rodeo Action NZ.
