It was reported at the time the draft proposed dramatically changing the face of rodeo in New Zealand by banning steer wrestling, rope and tie events, breakaway roping and the use of spurs and flank straps.
The committee said the new draft code could be presented to Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard once approved after its November meeting.
Animal welfare group SAFE has been calling for the draft to be made public following “unexpected and significant delays”.
Animal activists protest outside the Kihikihi Domain where the Waikato Rodeo is held.
Photo / Mike Scott
Campaign manager Emily Hall said the delays have already allowed the unnecessary death of animals and will continue to do so until new rules are implemented.
“The next rodeo season will begin at the end of November this year so it’s really unacceptable that more and more animals will be forced to participate in these events, subjected to these levels of abuse we see occurring.”
The organisation repeated its call to ban rodeo after it reported four animal deaths over the summer.
Hall said the committee wasn’t being held accountable to a timeline for its work.
“During the March committee meeting they acknowledged that the review process can take anywhere from four to six years which is just a ridiculously long time frame when the welfare of animals is being compromised.”
Committee chair Dr Matthew Stone said feedback from its 2022 draft indicated further work was needed.
“NAWAC members have been attending various rodeos and training events to better understand rodeo practices and the training the animals undergo.”
Animal welfare director Williams Jennings said it welcomed the committee members to attend rodeos.
“Unless you’re involved with rodeo you don’t really understand the ins and outs of it and why certain things are done or the reasons for them so they’re trying to get a good understanding of that.”
He hoped rodeo would look largely the same once the reviewed code was released and defended the industry’s treatment of the animals.
“A lot of animals come through the rodeos each year and it does a fantastic job of looking after them. The animals, when they leave the rodeo arena, are looked after and cared for and, when they come back, they’re looked after and cared for.”
When asked about the chance of the code to outright ban the sport Jennings said, “Well it’s difficult to say... hopefully it doesn’t go down that route.”
Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard is confident rodeo has a future in New Zealand. Photo / RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard said once the code is presented to him, he had to choose to accept the recommendations, send them back to the committee for further work, or reject them.
He said it was “generally not” a Cabinet discussion.
Hoggard said he was confident rodeo had a future in New Zealand.
“I went to the rodeo finals this year. I was amazed at the number of people that were there,” he said.
“These aren’t your hardcore rodeo people, these are interested observers working urban jobs and they have a fantastic time at the rodeos.”
Jordan Dunn is a multimedia reporter based in Auckland with a focus on crime, social issues, policing and local issues. He joined Newstalk ZB in 2024 from Radio New Zealand, where he started as an intern out of the New Zealand Broadcasting School.
