Letter: Rodeo should drop two events

Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002 | 8:49 a.m.

Thanks to reporter Bob Miech and photographer Ethan Miller for exposing the cruel reality of rodeo in the Sun's Dec. 13 story, "Bucking bull is euthanized." The death of the bull named Freeloader went almost unnoticed in the Review-Journal.

True to form, the ESPN coverup was as dishonest as last year's when the bucking horse High Plains suffered a broken back. Have you ever seen a calf roping "jerk-down" on ESPN? Doubtful. They should be sued for public fraud.

Perhaps it's time to drop both bull riding and steer wrestling from the rodeo program. Both events were created expressly for the rodeo arena, and have nothing to do with life on a working ranch.

I'm glad that veterinarians were present at the NFR to treat injured animals. Most rodeos do not require on-site vets, sadly. Even though the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) belatedly adopted an on-site vet rule in the mid-90s, they made a successful, all-out effort this year (again) to defeat California legislation that would have required on-site veterinarians at most rodeos here in the Golden State. Shame on them! "On call" vets have repeatedly proved inadequate, and much avoidable animal suffering has resulted.

All rodeos require on-site ambulances and paramedics to care for injured cowboys, and rightly so. Don't the animals deserve this same minimal consideration? Where's the cowboys' sense of fair play, pray?

ERIC MILLS

Editor's note: The writer is coordinator of Action for Animals, an animal welfare group in Oakland, Calif.