Calgary – Following a meeting yesterday with the Calgary Humane Society and the Alberta SPCA, the Calgary Stampede announced a rule change to steer wrestling that will enhance animal safety at the Stampede Rodeo.

Effective this year during the steer wrestling competition, if a steer falls with his legs under him or lands on the opposite side of the cowboy, known as a “dog fall,” a judge will automatically end the run and the cowboy given a “no time.”  To receive a time the cowboy must throw the steer so the feet and head are facing the same direction. The Calgary Stampede Rodeo is the first rodeo in North America to implement this “no time” rule.

“This innovative change is an additional safety precaution that comes from our ongoing effort to enhance our animal care practices,” said Dr. David Chalack, president and chairman of the board, Calgary Stampede. Chalack said the rule change was prompted by the death of a steer in the 2009 Calgary Stampede. “We are always looking for new opportunities to enhance how we care for our animals and after reviewing last year’s incident we felt this rule change eliminates an unnecessary risk.”  

The rule change was discussed on Tuesday with the Calgary Humane Society and Alberta SPCA as part of a pre-Stampede meeting with the local animal welfare groups.

The Stampede has a long-standing cooperative working relationship with the Alberta SPCA and the Calgary Humane Society, said Chalack. “We provide the CHS and Alberta SPCA complete access to Stampede Park – their representatives are on-site each day to closely monitor events and we meet with both groups so they can provide input on opportunities to enhance our animal care measures.”

Over the past 10 years, their input has led to many enhancements, including:

Chuckwagon Races

• Changes to the track to reduce injuries;
• Implementation of vet checks on the chuckwagon horses pre/post race;
• Harnesses and equipment now thoroughly checked over prior to race;
• Barrels changed from hard to a collapsible material; and
• Stoves stored inside the wagons (used to hang outside the wagons).

Rodeo Events

• Experienced personnel in the chutes with the calves and steers and improved handling in preparation areas;
• Tab extension at the top of the chute gates to prevent animals’ legs from getting wedged between the gate rails;
• Modification to chutes and decreased time limit for animals in the chutes;
• Release of fractious animals from chute to reduce chances for injury;
• Improved handling practices of steers in the chutes and assessment of the penalties for rough handling; and
• Livestock now housed off-site

“We welcome the constructive input of those who share our passion for animals – after all, our common goal is ensuring the highest possible standards,” said Chalack.

 "While the Calgary Humane Society fundamentally opposes any form of entertainment in which animals are placed at risk of suffering undue stress, pain, injury or death such as chuckwagon racing, calf-roping and steer wrestling, we believe we can best protect the interests of the animals involved by working with organizations such as the Calgary Stampede," said Patricia Cameron, executive director of the Calgary Humane Society.  "Through more than a decade of work with the Stampede, we have been instrumental in bringing positive changes."

Cameron said the Calgary Humane Society’s primary role in attending of the Calgary Stampede is to enforce the Animal Protection Act of Alberta. Its peace officers attend every day of the Stampede to monitor and ensure the animals are being properly treated and are also immediately on scene of any accident involving an animal to ensure the animal is being treated promptly, efficiently and humanely, to document what happened and to follow up with the unresolved cases. “Ultimately, the CHS wants no animal to be harmed at the Stampede – and this is the goal we expect the Stampede to work towards,” she said.

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