gets hot in the summer time we will travel at night to keep
the animals cooler. The furthest we typically go is 12 hours,
and we do that in one stretch to keep the animals off the
road as much as possible. Some people will break that up
into two days. We like to get where we are going so they
have plenty of time to rest and be ready for the rodeo.”
PRCAS ROLE IN MAINTAINING
WELFARE STANDARDS
The guiding principles behind the lives of rodeo animals
stem from PRCA regulations and the fact that these
animals are the livelihood of stock contractors across
the nation. “Rodeo is born of the hard-working American
ranchers who built the West and helped feed our nation,
the sport of professional rodeo directly descends from the
everyday ranch work of roping stray cattle and breaking
wild horses,” Pugsley said. “The one-on-one competition
of cowboys grew in popularity through the years and
eventually became organized events. It has evolved into
the sport of rodeo we know today.” In 1947, the first rules
concerning animal welfare participating in PRCA-
sanctioned events were implemented. “The sport of
professional rodeo is much more than entertainment, it is a
culture, a way of life, a heritage, all of which we are proud to
be continuing the western way of life today,” Pugsley said.
PRCA rules for animal welfare are used as the standard
for other associations, including the International
Professional Rodeo Association and many amateur
and state rodeo organizations. “Rules of the PRCA are
recognized as the most comprehensive in the industry,”
Pugsley said. “The PRCA leads the way in creating
livestock welfare procedures, rules and standards for
American rodeos.” The PRCA works to maintain
relationships with other rodeo associations as well as other
agricultural entities to continuously improve their standards
as needed.
One controversial tool used in rodeo is the electric prod.
Powered by flashlight batteries, the prod is often used to
move animals through the chute system. “Once animals
are loaded into the chute, a prod will only be used when
needed for the safety of the livestock, contestant or
personnel,” Pugsley explained. Rules state the prod should
only be used on the neck or shoulder of a bucking horse
and on the rump of roping cattle. “The prod allows for
harmless encouragement of animals to move through the
chutes,” Pugsley said. “It does not make animal buck, nor
does it affect the competition once the animal has exited
the chute.” For a prod to be used to help an animal leave a
chute, the owner, competitor and judge must all agree on
its use.
PERFORMANCE
According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals, doping and flank straps are the reason why
roping cattle run and rough stock buck. “PRCA rules
mandate that no stimulants or hypnotics may be given to
livestock used for contest purposes,” Pugsley said. This
applies to the horses used to compete on as well. “Flank
straps are used to encourage bucking horses and bulls to
buck with proper form, kicking their legs out behind them,”
Pugsley explained. “When tightened, the flank strap is in
the same position and tightness as a belt on a human. It is
used as a signal for that animal that it is time to perform.”
Many believe the flank strap is placed specifically on the
genitals of the animal to even further enhance their
bucking action This is not the case, in fact, many top
bucking horses are mares. “Everyone thinks you can make
an animal buck, you can’t. When we start these young
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