Rodeo returns to Hawke’s Bay after 16 years

Rodeo is growing in popularity and a group of cowboys and cowgirls in Hawke’s Bay will hold a competition next month.

The event is called the Hawke’s Bay Country Roundup and it has been 16 years since Hastings hosted a national level rodeo.

Cowboy and Hawke’s Bay Rodeo Club president Joe Whitelock said a wide range of competitions were planned.

“It’s the usual rodeo competition: you have bull riding, barrel racing, roping and steering wrestling, and roaring horses – saddle bronc and bareback.

“We plan to provide halftime entertainment including food stalls, merchandise as well as children’s rides. And a bar.”

Whitelock said it had taken a lot of work to bring the rodeo back to Hawke’s Bay: “But we’re getting closer and we’re looking forward to hosting the event.

“Multiple consents had to be obtained to ensure that everything was done correctly in terms of the health, safety and welfare of the animals. It takes a bit of work to build it from scratch again.”

Whitelock said at least 200 people from around the country and Australia would take part in the competition.

“We’ve put out some pretty big prize money, so we’re hoping to get a lot of interest.”

The largest winner’s prize is $1,500.

Whitelock plans to compete in the saddle bronc competition, in which competitors attempt to ride a rocking horse within eight seconds. The horse has a saddle with stirrups and a rein attached to a halter, which the rider holds with one hand.

Meanwhile, for some organizations and people, rodeos are controversial.

The SPCA said animal welfare was an issue and called for animals not to be used in rodeos on the grounds that they cause unnecessary suffering and could result in serious injury to the participating animals.

In 2016, about 70,000 people. signed the petition ban rodeos in New Zealand.

A Horizon poll commissioned by the SPCA and SAFE that same year found that 68 percent of respondents supported the statement that “Rodeo causes pain and suffering to animals, and it shouldn’t be done just for the sake of entertainment.”

Traditional rodeo events have been banned in parts of Europe, Australia, the US and the UK.

The SPCA said it is not opposed to the social value of people coming together to show off their skills at competitive events, but is in favor of replacing animals, or at least using them in a way that has far less impact on them.

Rodeos are subject to the Animal Welfare Act 1999 as well as a set of minimum standards in the Rodeo Welfare Code. Standards currently allow for local rodeo events.

Joe Whitelock said there will always be people who aren’t rodeo fans and he was happy to talk to anyone about the welfare of the cattle and horses involved.

“I invite everyone who doesn’t have much understanding about it and (we can) explain things properly. There are a lot of rumors floating around this topic – often from a few people who don’t actually know what it is. talking about.

“I’ve been doing this for a number of years now and the animal welfare behind everything is second to none. We make sure that all animals are safe and sound. I’m happy to answer any questions.”

Rodeo was becoming more popular again, and the crowds were getting larger, he said: “I think it’s definitely growing.”

Whitelock and his fellow cowboys and cowgirls were expecting up to 5000 spectators at the Hawke’s Bay rodeo on November 30 at the Tōmoana Showgrounds in Hastings.

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