OUR COMMITMENT TO ANIMAL CARE
Cheyenne Frontier Days™ does not tolerate animal abuse or neglect. We care about all our athletes equally, whether they are two-legged or four-legged. We take any accusations of animal abuse very seriously, and we are committed to protecting the welfare of our participants, our animals, and our fans.
Cheyenne Frontier Days™ follows strict PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) animal care guidelines, as well as state and local laws on animal care and treatment. Any violation of those guidelines will be immediately reported to the proper authorities.
The following guidelines offer a brief summary of some of the most important safeguards we use to ensure all our animals are treated with the utmost care.
GUIDELINES:
- A veterinarian will be on-site at all rodeo events.
- Animals are inspected by medical personnel immediately prior to and after the event. Any animal that appears to be sore, lame, sick, or injured is removed from the event and placed under immediate veterinary care.
- Spurs allowed in PRCA sanctioned rodeos must be dulled for the safety of the animals. Contestants who violate rules regarding spurs face fines, suspension and/or disqualification.
- Flank straps for horses must be fleece or neoprene-lined. Those for bulls must be made of soft cotton rope or lined with fleece or neoprene.
- Cheyenne Frontier Days™ does not allow the use of stimulating devices (hot shots) to enhance performance.
- Any contestant or stock contractor caught using unnecessary roughness or abusing an animal may be immediately disqualified from the rodeo and fined, whether in the arena or at any other Cheyenne Frontier Days™ activity.
- Strict weight requirements are set for cattle at Cheyenne Frontier Days™ to give an advantage to the livestock. Steers used in team and steer roping have a protective covering placed around their horns.
- PRCA rules call for a contestant to receive a “no-time” if a PRCA judge determines that a contestant pulls a calf straight over backwards in tie-down roping.
- An animal ambulance is on site at all times to expedite the safe transport of any injured animal.
- All animal handling facilities are constructed with the safety of the animals in mind.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS™ ANIMAL CARE
- Cheyenne Frontier Days™ strives to promote and preserve our Western heritage in the safest possible manner for animals, cowboys, cowgirls, and our guests.
- We are sanctioned by the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association), and we follow very strict guidelines on animal care. Professional rodeo judges and Cheyenne Frontier Days™ take these guidelines and this responsibility seriously.
- The animal injury rate in rodeo at Cheyenne Frontier Days™ is extremely low. It averages less than two-tenths of one-percent. Most injuries are minor and life-threatening injuries are extremely rare.
- If an injury occurs, we have a veterinary team on site at all times to provide the appropriate treatment and make sure the animals are treated with the utmost care and respect.
- All animals receive proper care and treatment before, during, and after every rodeo performance. Horses and cattle are transported in specially designed trucks for their protection. Once on site, the animals are placed in large corrals, provided with fresh feed and water, and are inspected at least twice daily for any health concerns.
- Cheyenne Frontier Days™ does not allow the use of stimulating devices (hot shots) to enhance performance.
- Bucking animals are bred to buck. When placed on an animal naturally inclined to buck, the fleece-lined flank strap simply cues the animal. PRCA rules that govern flank straps do not allow any foreign or sharp objects. The flank strap is never pulled tight enough to cause injury or pain. It does not touch the genitals.
- Spurs allowed in PRCA sanctioned rodeos must be dulled for the safety of the animals. Contestants who violate rules regarding spurs face fines, suspension and/or disqualification.
- Animals used in the Wild Horse Race event are untested bucking stock. They are not wild horses. They are not gathered off of government land in the West; they are raised on a ranch as bucking horses.
- Cowboys have a unique bond with animals that animal rights extremists fail to recognize. People who grow up on a ranch or around livestock treat their animals like family. They raise them, provide for all of their needs, care for them when they are sick, and protect them. It isn’t just the cowboys’ livelihood; it is the Western way of life.
