The Red and Black

What fun, people abusing animals for money. Can't wait to support that kind of entertainment!

Wilcox says this should be included as part of Athen's heritage. Athens heritage also includes cotton fields worked with slave labor. I am sure he doesn't want to continue that heritage. The animals used and abused in rodeo are not voluntary participants. Any community educated about the violence inherent in rodeos will choose to not support this type of "entertainment". It is time to move forward and realize that we can enjoy ourselves without it being at the expense of others.

I am so disappointed in my fellow students. How is bringing torture close to campus an accomplishment? Athens is a progressive community and we should be looking into the future, finding ways to improve instead of regressing to barbaric activities. Please, do not support this inhumane treatment of other living beings as "entertainment."

Get a grip you freaking liberals. Your "abusing" all the trees through all the books you read for entertainment.

The Great Southland Stampede Rodeo is part of the UGA heritage. Stegman Coliseum was built for the intention of hosting livestock shows and allowing the Block and Bridle club to host our Rodeo every year (until the College of Ag sold the Coliseum to the Athletic Department). I don't think that many students on campus realize how much impact the College of Ag as on the rest of the University. Four Towers used to the be the dairy barn where the University's dairy herd was milked. The land where ECV and Ramsey are now located used to be the University's horse breeding farm. Just about every part of the University has ties to the College of Ag.

On the lines of animal abuse, ALL our animals receive the best care that we can provide. Animals who are abused or neglected don't perform (either in the production or entertainment business) as well as animals that are well taken care of. Plus, under the PRCA Rules, it is required that we have a vet present to look over all the livestock and they have the authority to pull any of the animals who look sick or lame from the competition to insure that the animals don't get hurt. (Please see visit www.prorodeo.com to read more about our animal welfare regulations.)

If you missed coming out to watch the Rodeo, don't worry... we'll be back in Athens again next year. So look for us sometime in April 2009!!!

Don't take anyone's word for it -- let pictures and video speak for themselves.

http://www.rodeoabuse.com/

http://www.sharkonline.org/

I am also an Ag major who enjoys rodeos and is an animal lover. I have rescued 3 dogs from animal shelters and a horse that had been abused and neglected. I am offended because of the fact that many people who are not in the college of ag refer to us as ignorant. I believe that the people who make such comments about the abuse of animals in rodeo are being ignorant by not researching the facts or looking at the situation from an unbiased point of view. Just like the last person posted, there are some videos or pictures out there that look much worse when taken out of context. Yes, accidents happen in rodeo just as they happen in life. However, we treat the animals well and take measures to prevent injury to them. Even if you don't believe that we are looking out for their well-being, we would be at a loss if an animal was hurt. I believe in animal rights, but I also believe in keeping an open mind and accepting other peoples' ways of life and cultures even when I don't agree with them. I feel like other people should respect the culture of rodeo also.

Well said Animal Science Major!

Not to stir up any controversy, but I am a rodeo fan and a UGA student who is not affiliated with this particular club, although I do remember the Rodeo when it was held at the coliseum, and am glad it was more accessible this year.

Being involved in agriculture (in particular livestock) and enjoying rodeos, it's clear to me that the livestock are NOT being abused. The animals involved in rodeo performances are just as much an athlete as David Greene, and they are treated equally as well. Just as football players get injured, so do livestock involved in rodeo. And just as the football players have top-notch trainers available to help them, the rodeo animals have top-notch Vets.

Both the cowboys and the stock contractor value and respect the animals in the events. Of course, as with all situations in life, there are sometimes people who will take advantage of a situation (whether that be them abusing the animals or abusing other people). Those people are most often properly dealt with, though. The time and money put into these animals make it a huge LOSS for the owners and the rodeo associations if they are improperly cared for (even if this is a shallow way of looking at it, its realistic).

The cowboys are much more likely to get very seriously injured than the animals.

For those of us in agriculture, events like these are not just a form of entertainment, for many of us, its a way of life. Some of the comments above seem to imply that people who participate in rodeos or see them as a "tradition" are ignorant and callous. However only by knowing your history and respecting it can you improve the future.


And PS -
Do YOU know who one of the first professional black athletes was?
Try looking up Bill Pickett, circa 1881. Pretty accepting for a sport that people think is full of ignorant rednecks.
And the rodeo was great!

I am a fith generation farmer here in rural georgia. I make my living farming, and raising animals. It is because of ignorant people who don't have a clue what raising, and taking care of animals is all about that everyone should go to the rodeo. I went to thee rodeo every year until it moved out of athens, and I gladly welcome it back.