Calgary Stampede Lists New Animal Safety Rules
- شروع کننده موضوع ♘امیرحسین♞
- تاریخ شروع
reza eslahi
Member
Horses used in the Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races at the 2011 Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada, will receive veterinary inspections upon arrival to the event and prior to competition under new rules announced by Stampede management on Feb. 23.
The annual Calgary Stampede features rodeo-style competitions and livestock exhibitions. The Stampede's GMC Rangeland Derby chuckwagon race pits four teams of horse-drawn wagons against each other in a series of elimination races over several days. Traditionally, each team consists of four wagon horses and four horses carrying outriders.
Last year, a total of six horses died in separate Stampede rodeo events. A Quarter Horse suffered an apparent cardiac episode and died during a team cattle-penning event, and a bucking horse was euthanized after breaking his back when he continued to buck after his rider came off in the saddle bronc riding event. Additionally, four Thoroughbreds died in connection with the chuckwagon races. Of those, one died after suffering an apparent cardiac episode during a routine training session, and another died as a result of an abdominal rupture. One horse was euthanized after sustaining a catastrophic injury to his right front leg during a chuckwagon race, and an outrider horse was euthanized after breaking his shoulder during a race.
Stampede spokesman Doug Fraser said that under the new rules, all horses participating in the chuckwagon races will receive veterinary inspections upon arrival to the event. Thereafter, horses will undergo veterinary inspections before each race. Those deemed unfit will be scratched from the event. Horses deemed fit to compete will also undergo post-race veterinary inspections, Fraser said.
The new rules also require that no horse run in the event more than three consecutive days, and all horses used in the chuckwagon races must rest at least one day in every four.
"Also, we've reduced the number of outriders from four to two to align our event with what professional chuckwagon racing associations are doing," Fraser said.
The new rules are intended to increase both equine and human chuckwagon race participants' safety, but were not adopted in response to last year's deaths, Fraser said.
"We review our policies every year with input from the Calgary Humane Society and the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals," he continued. "Animal and human safety are our priority."
Calgary Humane Society executive director Patricia Cameron believes the new rules will improve equine safety during the chuckwagon events.
"The pre-race inspections will help make sure horses do not enter a race with a preexisting condition that can result in an injury, and reducing the number of outriders will make a for a less crowded field and reduce the opportunity for crashes," she said.
However, Vancouver Humane Society spokesman Peter Fricker believes neither the veterinary inspections nor the outrider reduction will make the event safer.
"It's the nature of the race itself with crowding and sharp turns that makes it dangerous," Fricker said. "We think these rules are just window dressing and a response to public pressure for the deaths of the six horses last year."
The 2011 Calgary Stampede will take place July 8-17.
The annual Calgary Stampede features rodeo-style competitions and livestock exhibitions. The Stampede's GMC Rangeland Derby chuckwagon race pits four teams of horse-drawn wagons against each other in a series of elimination races over several days. Traditionally, each team consists of four wagon horses and four horses carrying outriders.
Last year, a total of six horses died in separate Stampede rodeo events. A Quarter Horse suffered an apparent cardiac episode and died during a team cattle-penning event, and a bucking horse was euthanized after breaking his back when he continued to buck after his rider came off in the saddle bronc riding event. Additionally, four Thoroughbreds died in connection with the chuckwagon races. Of those, one died after suffering an apparent cardiac episode during a routine training session, and another died as a result of an abdominal rupture. One horse was euthanized after sustaining a catastrophic injury to his right front leg during a chuckwagon race, and an outrider horse was euthanized after breaking his shoulder during a race.
Stampede spokesman Doug Fraser said that under the new rules, all horses participating in the chuckwagon races will receive veterinary inspections upon arrival to the event. Thereafter, horses will undergo veterinary inspections before each race. Those deemed unfit will be scratched from the event. Horses deemed fit to compete will also undergo post-race veterinary inspections, Fraser said.
The new rules also require that no horse run in the event more than three consecutive days, and all horses used in the chuckwagon races must rest at least one day in every four.
"Also, we've reduced the number of outriders from four to two to align our event with what professional chuckwagon racing associations are doing," Fraser said.
The new rules are intended to increase both equine and human chuckwagon race participants' safety, but were not adopted in response to last year's deaths, Fraser said.
"We review our policies every year with input from the Calgary Humane Society and the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals," he continued. "Animal and human safety are our priority."
Calgary Humane Society executive director Patricia Cameron believes the new rules will improve equine safety during the chuckwagon events.
"The pre-race inspections will help make sure horses do not enter a race with a preexisting condition that can result in an injury, and reducing the number of outriders will make a for a less crowded field and reduce the opportunity for crashes," she said.
However, Vancouver Humane Society spokesman Peter Fricker believes neither the veterinary inspections nor the outrider reduction will make the event safer.
"It's the nature of the race itself with crowding and sharp turns that makes it dangerous," Fricker said. "We think these rules are just window dressing and a response to public pressure for the deaths of the six horses last year."
The 2011 Calgary Stampede will take place July 8-17.