Passionate sides at loggerheads over rodeo

Kate Gollop is a Queenstown shop manager who has put her personal views, and safety, on the line at the past four annual Wanaka rodeos.

Queenstown Vegan Society director Kate Gollop prepares for a video protest against rodeo. PHOTO: MARK PRICE

She recounted this week the abuse and threats she and Queenstown Vegan Society members had endured.

That included threatening behaviour with vehicles and via the internet "... trying to intimidate us by claiming they are going to be there with things they are going to attack us with ...".

Ms Gollop considered the anger shown was a sign the protesters were having an effect, and she was comforted knowing the police would be nearby.

"It’s always nerve-racking going and standing outside somewhere where you are not wanted ... but I’m not nervous in terms of the fear of being attacked."

Ms Gollop came from Leeds in the United Kingdom five years ago, and stayed because she felt New Zealand had few people fighting for animal ethics.

Her vegan views had only strengthened over the years — turning her from someone who "loved eating meat" into someone who believed exploiting animals was not "morally right".

The aim of the society was to "bring people to their own conclusions about a better, more moral way of living".

The society objected to all rodeo events, but particularly the calf roping.

"When you watch the videos you can see the immense pressures these animals are under, not just physically but psychologically as well.

"You can see the fear in their eyes."

Ms Gollop said if animals on farms were treated in the same way they were treated at rodeos, farmers would be prosecuted.

The society’s views encompassed all use of animals and animal products, and Mr Gollop considered it better for animals not to be born at all, than to be born for slaughter or entertainment.

"We don’t agree for animals to be bred into existence just to be killed.

"It’s horrific."

Lyal Cocks, of Wanaka, is New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys Association president and the man the media goes to when there is an incident involving harm to an animal at any rodeo.

New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys Association president Lyal Cocks believes animal rights protesters should direct their attention elsewhere. PHOTO: MARK PRICE

Mr Cocks was at pains to point out rodeos were legal, and closely monitored by the Ministry for Primary Industries and the SPCA.

"We’re the most scrutinised equestrian sport in New Zealand.

"Everything is legitimate."

And, he said, much effort has gone into improving the welfare of animals.

For instance, calf riding had been done away with, and a new roping event introduced using older animals which were not stopped suddenly or wrestled to the ground.

Mr Cocks said of all the rodeo events, the calf rope and tie was the one where injuries occurred "very, very rarely".

"There’s no record of injury to the calf. It’s just a visual perception thing.

"People have to qualify to compete in it because there is an art to it, so you do not hurt the calf."

Mr Cocks grew up on Omarama Station working stock on horseback, but had not competed at rodeos.

He believed they were an easy target for protesters, whose efforts would be better directed to other animal welfare issues.

While he accepted vegan society members were entitled to their opinions, Mr Cocks objected to incidents of protesters "yelling and screaming" at families heading for the rodeo.

He believed protests got more media attention than they deserved.

"You’ve got say a dozen vegans trying to push, or shove, their views on life, their opinions, down the throats of people.

"Yeah, totally unbalanced."

mark.price@odt.co.nz