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Rodeo doesn’t belong in Sandwich, NH
Rodeo harms animals
The dangers posed by rodeo events are well documented.
Bucking Injuries
Bulls and horses don’t just buck for the heck of it. The animals must be provoked. The flank strap pulled tight around the animal’s abdomen causes frantic, unnatural bucking.
Their exaggerated kicks and twists can cause long-term damage to their spines and pelvises. Bulls can also suffer broken legs, backs, and other traumatic injuries.
A study published by the American Veterinary Medical Association found that bucking bulls were more likely than non-bucking bulls to develop horn and sinus disorders and musculoskeletal disorders of the vertebral region and pelvic limbs.
Barrel Racing Injuries
In this timed event, horses are forced to take tight turns at high speeds. The extreme impact and hyperextension of tendons while turning around the barrels causes pain and injury.
Research shows that close to 50 percent of competing barrel horses are likely performing with some degree of lameness.
The harm to horses caused by this event is no secret. Much has been written on this topic, because a lame horse is not earning his owner any money.
Roping and Wrestling Injuries
When a running animal is lassoed around the neck and brought to an abrupt and violent stop, the jerking force can cause damage to the windpipe, torn ligaments, and broken necks.
Many injuries occur during off-season practice sessions when calves are roped repeatedly.
Rodeo animals who break bones are typically euthanized.
They are not “athletes” — they are victims.
Peggy Larson
DVM, MS, JD
“I am a both an attorney and a veterinarian, who has treated both ranch and rodeo animals. In my youth, I rode bareback broncs in the rodeo. I can confidently say that rodeo is a cruel and archaic form of entertainment that should be outlawed.”
Rodeos also put spectators at risk
Along with causing great harm to animals, rodeo events also put spectators and the community at risk.
Bulls and horses are powerful animals, and unfamiliar environments and the chaos of an arena can cause serious stress — leading to escapes or other unpredictable behavior that no fence can guarantee against.
Being injured at a rodeo is so common that one Texas law firm specifically targets these victims in its advertising. “Been injured at a rodeo?”
Keep rodeo out of New Hampshire
The Sandwich Stampede would be the first rodeo of its kind in New Hampshire. What is permitted here sets a precedent. Sandwich deserves better than to become the foothold for an industry with a well-documented record of harm to both animals and people.
What you can do
- Sign the petition
- Contact Scott Crowder, organizer of the Sandwich Stampede, and express your opposition (scott@sandwichstampede.com)
- Contact the Sandwich Board of Selectmen and urge them to revoke the temporary use permit (603-284-7701 or townadmin@sandwichnh.org)
- Tell the Sandwich Fair Association not to allow the event to go forward (603-284-7216 or info@thesandwichfair.com)
- Reach out to local businesses sponsoring the event and express your displeasure.
To learn more:
- Rodeo Facts: The Case Against Rodeos (Animal Legal Defense Fund)
- Rodeo Cruelty: Forget The Myth (SHARK)
- Bucking Tradition: Documentary short exploring animal welfare in rodeo competitions