Waikato rodeo back on agenda after ban petition fails

Waikato Rodeo Club's timed event co-ordinator Gary Hackett (left) gratefully accepts a new roping shute from Paul Schrader at Kihikihi Domain.

The Waikato Rodeo will go ahead as planned on February 18, 2017 at Kihikihi Domain after a parliamentary committee decided not to ban the 30-odd rodeos held annually throughout the country.

The news will be welcomed by the hordes of families who flock to Kihikihi year after year.

A report by Parliament's primary production committee concluded there were adequate animal welfare safeguards, replying to the nearly 63,000 people who signed a petition organised on behalf of the SPCA, Safe and Farmwatch asking for rodeos to be banned.

At a time when rodeo has been in the news for the wrong reasons, the Waikato Rodeo has bounced back big time, attracting record crowds including more than 5000 for the national final in 2015.

Rodeo historian Gary Jackson heaped praise on the Waikato Rodeo Association, saying Kihikihi has the best set-up for rodeo in the North Island.

"The association went to great lengths to ensure that the welfare of stock and competitors was paramount.

"There's lots of shade in the yard and both the riders and animals are well catered for."

Paul Schrader, managing director of Amourshield Engineering division of NormanbyFibreglass Ltd, has come to the party sponsoring a new timed event roping chute to be operating in time for the Waikato Rodeo.

"Now that the government acknowledged rodeo will be around for a while, I think you will see more industries supporting and sponsoring NZ Rodeo again," says Schrader.

The Taranaki businessman is also interested in helping design and build new bucking stock shutes at Kihikihi with input on design and operational features from the cowboys and yard stock handlers.

"It's paramount that we build the shutes to their specifications."

Rodeo president Stewart Pedersen says his committee is looking forward to working with Schrader to upgrade the bucking stock shutes.