Horses continue to pay with their lives in this cruel and dangerous event.

Animals pay a high price at Calgary's annual rodeo exhibition. The Calgary Stampede is a 10-day event that takes place every summer in the Canadian province of Alberta. Many horses have suffered catastrophic injuries—often fatal—in this event.

Breakneck Speed = Broken Necks

The deadliest event in the Stampede are the chuck wagon races, in which teams of four horses pull old-fashioned "pioneer" wagons and race around a track at breakneck speed.

In 2007, three horses died after two wagons collided. One horse died instantly, and two others suffered devastating injuries and were euthanized.

The year before, one horse suffered a heart attack, tripping several other horses when he collapsed. Another horse sustained a broken leg in the turmoil, and both horses were euthanized. Later, a third horse was euthanized after colliding with the wagon of another team on the track. Several of the other horses involved sustained injuries in the collision.

More than 15 horses have died in the past five years. In July 2005, at least nine horses died after being spooked and falling 33 feet off a city bridge into a river. Some animals tumbled down a steep embankment, while others jumped or fell over the guardrail. Some horses died on impact, others drowned, and one had to be euthanized later. Ranch hands had been herding approximately 200 horses on a six-day, 125-mile journey from the Stampede ranch near Hanna, Alberta, to the exhibition site near downtown Calgary.

Cruelty for a Buck

Animals used in the rodeo circuit suffer horribly. The extensive physical trauma and psychological terror experienced by animals used in rodeo and chuck wagon events is obvious. A casual observer of chuck wagon races can see horses foaming at the mouth and see their eyes rolling back in their heads. In calf-roping, the young animals run in terror after being let out of a chute and often sustain neck and back injuries when the rope yanks them violently to the ground. A flank strap is used in the bucking and bull-riding events, tormenting the horses and bulls and causing them to buck wildly in an effort to rid themselves of the constricting band across their genitals. Such cruelty cannot be justified, especially when the sole purpose of the event is to provide "entertainment."

The Humane Society of Canada (HSC) has called for a boycott of the Stampede. "We're looking for a way to end rodeo violence," says Michael O'Sullivan, executive director of the animal welfare group. "The only way to do that is not to buy an admission ticket, not to use your hard-earned money to buy goods and services from ad agencies and corporate sponsors."

You Can Help

Please write a polite letter to these sponsors of the Calgary Stampede and encourage them to disassociate themselves from this deadly event:

Michael J. Sabia, President, CEO, & Director
Bell Canada
1000 rue de la Gauchetiere Ouest, Ste. 3700
Montréal, QC H3B 4Y7
514-870-8777
514-870-4385 (fax)

Elias S. Arturo, President and Managing Director
General Motors of Canada Limited
1908 Colonel Sam Dr.
Oshawa, ON L1H 8P7
Canada
905-644-5000
905-644-4762 (fax)
https://contactus.gm.ca/english/email_us.aspx

David Ginley, Director
Labatt Brewing Co.
4415 Gateway Blvd. N.W.
Edmonton, AB T6H 5C3
Canada
1-800-268-BEER
http://www.labatt.com/english/lbc_contact/lbc_main.htm

Stephen G. Snyder, President and CEO
TransAlta Corporation
110 12th Ave. S.W.
Calgary, AB T2P 2M1
Canada
403-267-7110
403-267-2590 (fax)
http://www.transalta.com (click on "Contact Us")

Gary Holden, President and CEO
Enmax
141 50th Ave. S.E.
Calgary, AB T2G 4S7
Canada
1-866-993-6629
403-219-2165 (fax)
http://www.enmax.com/Corporation/Contact+Us/default.htm