While Rodeo Fans Enjoy the NFR, LA Seeks to Ban Rodeo Today

While rodeo fans are enjoying the thrills, spills, and lights of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, western sports are about to officially ban rodeo, western sports and horse shows in the city limits of Los Angeles. This is coming to you today, December 7th, 2022. If you have the time today, please check out the information below as a last ditch effort to save our sport.

The scary thing is, it starts with Los Angeles, but where will it go next? With well over a hundred rodeos alone, not including bull riding events or horse shows in California, this is concerning. Check out the information below on what you can do.

The Personnel, Audits, and Animal Welfare Committee of the Los Angeles City Council is having its hearing today at 2 pm Pacific Time regarding the draft ordinance that will ban rodeo, bull riding, and equestrian events in the city.

**WE NEED YOU TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD** in the Public Comment section of the meeting (2 minutes or less per person)

1. To make public comment, call this phone number: 1 (669) 254 5252
2. Use Meeting ID No. 161 602 6414 and then press #.
3. Press # again when prompted for participant ID.
4. Once admitted into the meeting, press *9 to request to speak.
5. After you have been called upon, tell them you will be speaking on Agenda Item #3.
6. Once you have completed your public comment remarks, you may continue to listen to the audio for this meeting on the Internet at https://clerk.lacity.org/calendar

Additionally, you can listen in to the meeting via phone at: (213) 621-CITY or (213) 621-2489.

Suggested fan talking points (commenters should pick one):

• Rodeo and bull riding events are safe, and have licensed veterinarians onsite to ensure all animals are treated humanely and safely. This ordinance just singles out rodeo events without taking into account how equipment is used. Flank straps don’t hurt animals, period. They’re no tighter than a cinch on a saddle or a belt on your waist. The spurs and rowels we use rotate and are dull, not sharp. And prods are only used in the case of a large animal who is endangering the life of another animal or human – and prods only help animals move out of the way. This is an ordinance in search of a problem.
• Rodeo athletes are the biggest animal lovers I know. They spend days and weeks with their animals, they feed them, they groom them, and they care for them each and every day. These animals are like part of our family, and we treat them with kindness and respect. Now it’s time for you to respect our sport and the care we already give animals every day. Support the Coalition’s amendments.
• The Western Sports Industry Coalition’s amendments give this committee common-sense changes to the draft ordinance. They’ve given the City technical expertise about the sport that, members of this committee must admit, you simply don’t have. Without those amendments, this ordinance just kicks rodeo to the curb. It kicks charros and charreria to the curb. It kicks Black rodeo events, like the events shown on the front page of Sunday’s Los Angeles Times, to the curb. It kicks PBR – and the millions it brings to the local economy — to the curb. Don’t kick us to the curb for no reason. Treat us, and rodeo, with the same respect that we give our animal athletes.
• The only cruelty going on is the fact that this draft ordinance would kill Western sports events in broad daylight. This ordinance language misleads, misstates, and misses entirely how these events are actually conducted. The Western Sports Industry Coalition’s amendments actually demonstrate working knowledge of rodeo events and would put their best practices into action. The animals will stay safe.  Support the Coalition’s amendments.
• When it comes to rodeo, mend it, don’t end it. The draft ordinance, without changes, would just kill rodeo without any mercy. That’s not right. You have a chance to make amendments that put common sense into regulating rodeo, by specifying specific safety measures. All of these safety measures are ones that sanctioned rodeo events already use.
• Take the time to understand rodeo and bull riding events and how they are conducted. Take the time to speak to a veterinarian like the dozens of veterinarians who have contacted this City Council and testified to the multiple layers of safety measures already in place at rodeo events. Take the time to understand what you’re doing – don’t just have a knee-jerk reaction. Be thoughtful. Listen to the experts. These people take tremendous care of the animal athletes.

There are a lot of opportunities for you to take part in and learn more about rodeo in order to preserve our lifestyle. Check out some of my favorite resources below on how to advocate for the western lifestyle.

Rodeo Advocating Resources

• Bronc Riding Nation: Sharing genuine facts about bronc riding, rodeo, and the life of the great horse athletes that make it possible.
• PRCA Welfare Statement: The PRCA and athletes alike rely on the safety and health of animal athletes much as they depend on volunteers to help run rodeos.
• Western Justice: Western Justice Legislative Fund is a membership-based, 501(c)(4) Nonprofit organization that engages in political action to preserve and protect the western lifestyle, livelihood and events.
• PBR Welfare Statement: The PBR, much like the PRCA cares as much about their bull athletes as they do their human ones. They are both equally respected as it takes two for a successful eight second ride.

If you have additional resources to share, please shoot me an email at krysta@clngo.com.