The National Rodeo Final in Outram went ‘‘exceptionally well'' at the weekend and fine weather played a part in its success, Outram Rodeo Club spokesman Fred Doherty said.
A highlight was the ‘‘poignant'' moment when a man killed in a car crash the previous weekend was named winner of the team roping event, Mr Doherty said.
Leonard Marshall Mackey (59), known as Len, of Ashburton, was travelling to Warkworth after competing in the Urenui rodeo, in Taranaki, when he was killed in a car crash last Saturday.
Despite the best efforts of the other contestants he retained his lead in the event which he had built up over the New Zealand rodeo season.
Mr Doherty said the club was ‘‘very happy'' with the way the event, which is New Zealand's top rodeo competition, went on both Saturday and Sunday.‘‘It's the pinnacle rodeo of the season where our national champions are found.''
Those competing were in the top eight of their respective disciplines over the New Zealand rodeo season and Anthony Perkins, of Gore, was overall champion.
On Saturday about 50 animal rights protested outside the event, calling for rodeos to banned in New Zealand.
Protester Krysta Neve came down with the Christchurch Animal Rights Action group. ‘‘We've attended a few of [the rodeos] to see what the animal welfare side of things is like. We've been filming them and it's not good,'' Mrs Neve said.
Particularly egregious, she said, was an event that involved calves.
‘‘They send the baby calves out, and [the cowboys] have to rope them while they're on their horses. They get flung into the air and get held down by a ... fully-grown man, and then they get hog-tied,'' she said.
‘‘They're distressed, a lot of them get neck injuries, andit's really horrible.''
Mrs Neve said animal rights activists had been protesting at rodeos all over New Zealand this season. There was a campaign led by the SPCA, Farmwatch, and SAFE to ban the rodeo in New Zealand, she said.
Mr Doherty declined to comment on the protesters' specific concerns.
‘‘We respect their right to legally do what they want to do, as long as they respect our right to legally do what we want to do.
He said there were no injuries to the animals and apart from the odd bump or bruise there were no injuries to contestants.
The winners
Bareback, Stu De Ridder (Alexandra); rope and tie, Patrick McCarthy (Hawea Flat); saddle bronc, Corey Church (Rotorua); barrel race, Rhondine Long (Middlemarch); steer wrestling, Anthony Perkins (Gore); team roping-header, Len Mackay (Ashburton); team roping-heeler, Nye Harborne (Ashburton); bull ride, Merv Church jun (Rotorua); all round winner, Anthony Perkins (Gore).
