Posted on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 23:12 — by eric mills
This being Cinco de Mayo, it seems only appropriate to quote from a letter which Cesar Chavez wrote to me back in 12/90 in support of my animal welfare work:
"Kindness and compassion towards all living things is a mark of a civilized society. Conversely, cruelty, whether it is directed against human beings or against animals, is not the exclusive province of any one culture or community oof people. Racism, economic deprival, dogfighting and cockfighting, bullfighting and RODEOS (emphasis added) are cut from the same fabric: violence. Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves." Words to live by.
The HARD Board of Directors would be right to deny this request. Mexican-style rodeos ("charreadas") feature nine standard events, includng three which involve the lassoing of running horses by the legs ("manganas a pie," "manganas a caballo," and "piales") and the equally brutal "steer tailing" event ("las colas"). In PRCA bull riding, the cowboy rides the bull for a maximum of 8 seconds; in Mexican-style, there's no time limit: the event lasts until the charro is thrown or until the animal gives up. It can go on for several minutes. In team roping American style, the animal is stressed for only a few seconds, whereas in Mexican-style, the team roping event can last for several minutes, often traumatizing the steer in the process.
Be aware that EVERY major animal welfare organization in the U.S. opposes all rodeos due to their inherent cruelty.
The Rowell Ranch (HARD) deserves much credit for having the best rodeo animal welfare policy in the country. I helped to draft it back in the mid-eighties, along with the Oakland SPCA, Hayward Friends of Animals, and the HARD board of directors. It requiires an on-site veterinarian to care for injured animals, bans such events as pig and calf "scrambles," and the sexist "steer dressing" event. They even padded the arena per my request, thereby protecting cowboys and animals alike.
Here's hoping for a big turnout at the HARD 5/12 hearing in Hayward in support of the animals.
Eric Mills, coordinator ACTION FOR ANIMALS Oakland
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1
Charreadas and Mexican Rodeos are two different types of events. Charreadas have different categories while rodeos are just bull riding. There are also two types of spurs that cowboys use while bull riding “espuelas chatas” while the other cowboys use “espuelas de gancho”. The only spurs that can hurt an animal are “espuelas de gancho” and for the most part the majority of Mexican cowboys use “espuelas chatas”. I also want to add that I have never witnessed a Mexican cowboy stay on a bull for minutes, that’s ridiculous.
You should do some research and attend a real Mexican Rodeo and a real Charreada. I have been to both and they are very different. I have also attended PBR Rodeos and they are very similar to Charreadas, I do not understand why you make American Rodeos sound superior.
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7
For kk00:
As it happens I HAVE seen both over the years. and I stand by my comments. And I HAVE seen charros stay on bulls for minutes at a time (horses, too), unlike the American-style rodeos where the cowboy stays on for 8 seconds, max.
Nor do I consider one "superior" to the other. In my experience, the PRCA bulls are generally bigger and more aggressive than the bulls used in Mexican bullriding. I do consider both to be abusive to animals, and no working cowboy or charro ever routinely rode bulls. It's all hype for putting behinds in the bleachers (i.e., $$$), and bogus "entertainment."
Did you read about the bull who jumped an 8-foot fence at the Red Bluff rodeo last weekend, injuring six people, including three children? The rodeo dodged a bullet that day. It's a miracle no one was killed. The rodeo folks said it was a "fluke." Hardly. The same was said about the tiger at the S.F. Zoo who jumped a 15' moat and wall, and killed a patron. Zoos around the country immediately improved their safety standards for animals and the public alike. Rodeos should do likewise. Perhaps a 9-foot fence is in order for all rodeos. That suggestion was made in a Letter to the Editor of the Sacramento CAPITOL WEEKLY only last week.
And I do know the difference between charreadas and the Mexican-style bullriding. But most of the public doesn't, and I saw this as an opportunity to educate a few folks. Most rodeos (including charreadas) don't even have the decency to require an on-site veterinarian to care for injured animals. And yes, the cowboys get hurt, too, which is regrettable. Yet there's always an ambulance and paramedics present to care for injured cowboys, and rightly so. Don't the animals deserve at least as much?
I might also mention that only last week the State of Nebraska's governor signed a bill to ban all the horse tripping events (both manganas and piales), as well as steer tailing, none of which are standard ranching practices anywhere in the U.S. The bill passed unopposed.
And just for the record, I'm a big fan of cultural diversity. At least until it crosses the line of animal abuse, which charreadas (and rodeos) both do in spades, in my opinion. Go back and read that Cesar Chavez quote again. He's exactly on target, for my money.
Regards, Eric Mills ACTION FOR ANIMALS
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1
Yes, we do know that you have attended Charreadas. However, if you read the original article correctly, and attended Mr. Rivas' events, you would know that the shows Mr. Rivas puts on are NOT Charreadas. They do not consist on all ELEVEN events from the Charreadas. They do not perform pailes, colas, nor manganas in Mr. Rivas' events. To me it sounds like you wanted to use that article to sit in and bash on the Charreadas, because you have nothing better to do.
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1
Good for the HARD Board of Directors in denying this request. My family and I hope they stick to their decision. We also hope that they re-evaluate the other rodeos and prevent all rodeos from taking place under their jurisdiction. American rodeos, black rodeo, gay rodeo, and Mexican rodeos, all torment and stress animals. Many of these unwilling participants are injured and some die. Using and abusing animals to entertain "us" is not what a civilized society should be doing. We have many things to entertain ourselves with these days without having to hurt animals.
Rodeo organizers would have us believe that it is our heritage,--tradition, but it is not. Bull riding was not done on the range, they did not "break" a horse over and over, and calf roping was never done to hurt them, as it's done hard and fast in the rodeo to get the best time. Besides, many of our so-called traditions have been stopped, such as slavery, witch drownings, etc. Women were not able to vote some years ago, and I'm sure glad we can now.
Lucy Shelton