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SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness
SHARK
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Comments Needed from Vets and Vet TechsOpen Letter to Cheyenne Frontier Days RodeoStatement of Peggy Larson, DVM Regarding CFDTaylor Swift - She has a Voice -- Does She Have a Heart?Wild horse ride ditched amid fears of prosecution2008 CFD Video FootageSHARK Sued for Educating CFD PerformersFormer CFD Volunteer, Participant Speaks OutMatchbox Twenty Withdraws from CFD Citing Abuse ConcernsNational Poll Exposes Rodeo's "Animal Welfare Coordinator" as Spin DoctorVideo and Photos from 2007 CFDWhat You Can Do!CFD Chairman Caught Playing the Media2006 Abuse Exposed and SHARK's Debate with the CFD Rodeo OfficialsRodeoCruelty.comCFD's Supposed "Family Event" Promotes Drug Use"A rodeo shocker": Wyoming paper exposes 2007 CFDMedia: "Group claims abuse at CFD rodeo"Horse Shocking at CFDBucking Horse Injuries at CFD"Wild Horse" Trauma at CFDCalf Roping at CFDSteer Roping at CFDChute Fighting at CFDSee Footage of Other PRCA RodeosDef Leppard Confirms Status as Hypocrites by Performing at CFDCity official demands answers from Frontier Days RodeoCarrie Underwood: Star with a HeartCFD volunteer ropes tow truck operatorStarbucks Halts Sponsorship of Cheyenne RodeoOrganizations Worldwide Opposed to Rodeo Animal AbuseThere's more you can do...Wagon races may returnCowboy PrayerRodeo Cruelty
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ShameOnCheyenne.com
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Here is a link to the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle article:
Horse dies at Cheyenne Frontier Days
The 4-year-old horse named Check Mate injured his back during rookie saddle bronc Sunday and was later euthanized...
2011 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Begins
Almost immediately the animal injuries start piling up
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July 21, 2011
Although the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (CFD) doesn't officially open until this weekend, they hold pre-qualifying events in the days before called "slack." These events are notoriously cruel and yesterday, Wednesday July 20th, the first day of slack, a young, innocent calf was injured badly enough during a calf roping "jerk down" that he had to be carted out of the arena. Rodeo propaganda claims that cruel "jerk downs" aren't allowed, yet they occur openly and routinely at the CFD.
Watch below as the rodeo attempts to hide the injured animal from SHARK's cameras:
Nearly 13,000 (and counting) people from around the world sign a petition calling out Sheryl Crow for supporting rodeo cruelty
SHARK was appalled when it was announced that Sheryl Crow, who has professed to care about animals, was going to perform this Friday at the official opening night of the CFD. After receiving tremendous pressure from the public, including a protest at her book signing event in Utah, Ms. Crow tried to spin her way out by donating a part of her proceeds to an organization that helps wild horses. SHARK called out Ms. Crow for her hypocrisy in an Associated Press story that was covered nationwide and internationally.
This led to the creation of an online petition asking Ms. Crow to speak out against rodeo cruelty that has already garnered nearly 13,000 signatures.
View and sign the petition HERE
Animal Protection Groups Calls On Sheryl Crow to Denounce Horse Abuse at Brutal Rodeo
May 17, 2011
Sheryl Crow has been an outspoken supporter of wild horses. It is because of this that SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK) is surprised that she is scheduled to perform at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo (CFD), opening night, July 22.
SHARK has documented cruelty and even deaths of horses at the CFD. We sent Sheryl Crow the following letter dated May 11, 2011 (Click here to read the complete letter), and we are today releasing the following YouTube video. This video not only speaks personally to Ms. Crow, but shows footage SHARK has taken exposing the cruel and inhumane treatment of horses at CFD. One of the most vicious events is the "Wild Horse Race" (see video).
"It is our sincere hope that Sheryl Crow will see the abuse that her name is going to help support and join us in opposing rodeos," states SHARK President Steve Hindi "At the very least, we ask her to insist that the Cheyenne Frontier Days abandon its cruel wild horse race."
2010 CFD Concludes - Countless Animals Injured
It comes as no surprise that the 2010 CFD rodeo injured and possibly killed untold numbers of animals - all for the amusement of the spectators and to line the pockets of unethical corporations like American Airlines and the Bank of the West. Everyone knows animals will die, but that doesn't stop the rodeo thugs and the greedy corporations from continuing with this spectacle of cruelty.
Below are just some of the abuses that SHARK's cameras documented:
American Airlines Supports Animal Abuse
Shame on American Airlines and American Eagle Airlines for sponsoring the horrific animal abuse at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. A rodeo considered by some to be the most brutal and deadly rodeo in the world.
Take a look at the Cheyenne videos above from August of 2010. American Airlines through American Eagle Airlines is giving money to help support this animal cruelty. It is 100% guaranteed that animals will suffer terribly during this rodeo. It is also 100% guaranteed that animals are going to be brutally injured and some even killed as a result of this rodeo. So why is American Airlines giving them money? One word - greed. American Airlines is apparently so devoid of values that they don't care who pays the price as long as they can try and make a few bucks.
For a company that claims to have the very highest ethical standards, American Airlines sure is supporting some pretty horrific treatment of animals. All for nothing but some dubious "entertainment".
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Please contact American Airlines and tell them that as long as they support animal abuse, you will not do business with them. Tell them that a company that truly lived up to "the highest ethical standards" like they claim would not give money to support the injuring and killing of animals for fun. Urge them to join the ranks of ethical businesses that have stopped their sponsorships of rodeos like Starbucks Coffee, Choice Hotels, Southwest Airlines, and many others.
Complete contact details including email addresses and phone numbers can be found Clicking Here.
The Cheyenne Rodeo Humane Rule that Wasn't
If you go to the "Animal Care" page of the Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) website, you'll read all about the rodeo's "Commitment to Animal Care," and if you didn't know about all the cruel, injurious and sometimes deadly abuses to the rodeo animals, you might be fooled. But the latest CFD debacle stands as a wonderful testament to the truth about the treatment of rodeo animals.
A few days ago we noticed that CFD was claiming it has a "no-jerk-down" rule. A jerk-down is a cruel and sometimes deadly technique of roping a young calf over so violently that the victim literally is shot backward, all four feet off the ground. The victim lands on her head, neck and/or back. Broken necks, legs, backs and internal injuries can result.
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We were pleased to see that Cheyenne had apparently banned at least this obvious abuse against animals who are only a few months old. But, as is so often the case with rodeo thugs, things are not what they appeared. We sent an email to CFD officials asking for details about the new no-jerk-down rule, and we alerted the local media. What happened next was so, well, so rodeo.
CFD officials simply removed the no-jerk-down ban from the website. It was that simple. It is now gone. That's how it works in the rodeo mafia. They lie about how the animals are treated, and when you corner them, they simply change the lie. Of course did not respond to us; they don't have the courage or integrity to do that.
Our weapon against rodeos is simply the truth as seen in the camera's eye. And there is nothing the rodeo mafia fears more than the truth.
There is a line on CFD's website that reads as follows:
"We care about all our athletes, the two-legged ones and the four-legged ones, and anyone who claims otherwise just doesn't know us."
That's not true. Over the past five years of documenting the rodeo, I HAVE gotten to know these people, not to mention the seventeen years that we've documented and exposed abuse at rodeos from coast to coast. Not personally, because they don't have the courage to interact with us. But I know them by their deeds - by their mistreatment of animals, by their lies about the mistreatment, their cover-ups of animal injuries and deaths. SHARK investigators see right past the paper-thin veneer. We DO know CFD folk - and that is exactly why they fear and hate us so.
Again this year, in just a couple weeks, SHARK investigators will document and expose the cruel cowards who produce the cruel and cowardly Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. And this year, counter to the claims of CFD's website that it "does not condone animal abuse," young babies who should still be with their mothers will be jerked down - violently flipped backwards with such force that some will be injured and worse.
CFD loses $1.3 million in two years
Do you think it's a coincidence that SHARK has also exposed CFD for animal cruelty the past three years?
CHEYENNE -- A review of Cheyenne Frontier Days' tax returns shows its financial situation in recent years has been much like one of its rodeo events -- a bumpy ride.
A Veterinarian Speaks Out
Click here to read the complete statement from Peggy Larson, DVM, MS (Pathology), JD as she evaluates the video evidence of animal injuries at Cheyenne.
Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians! We need your evaluation of the injuries as well. Please follow this link and watch the videotape and send your statement to shindi@sharkonline.org. Thank you for caring.
SHARK Files Animal Neglect Complaint Against Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo
SHARK Files Animal Neglect Complaint Against Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo
On August 10, 2009, SHARK contacted the Cheyenne Police Department and requested that an investigation for animal neglect be initiated against the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (CFD). The complaint stems from the large number of animals that were injured at the rodeo but apparently denied veterinary treatment.
A press release issued by CFD following the rodeo stated: "Veterinarians treated a total of seven animals."
Unfortunately many, many more than seven animals should have received medical treatment and SHARK has the videotape to prove it. A portion of the injuries and deaths can be seen in the two videos below:
CFD spokesperson Bob Budd has admitted that a detailed list of animal injuries is kept by CFD officials, but as for releasing the report Mr. Budd stated: "It doesn’t really serve any purpose (to the public)." Mr. Budd later added that the detailed injury report “isn’t going to be made public.”
Of course, a real sport and a legitimate organization would insist that such information be made public. Transparency earns legitimacy. There is only one reason the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo will NOT release its animal injury reports. It’s the same reason no rodeo association releases such information -- because if the public knew the true number of animals sacrificed at rodeos, the industry would lose a tremendous number of attendees and corporate sponsors.
Corporate sponsors such as Dodge (which is now supported by US taxpayers), Southwest Airlines (cited by the FAA for serious violations of safety rules), Marriott Hotels and Coca-Cola (which won’t admit to sponsoring rodeos in spite of being proclaimed the “Official Soft Drink of the Cheyenne Frontier Days),” count on deniability of animal injuries and deaths, and the rodeo industry is only too happy to oblige.
The Cheyenne Rodeo has been awarded “Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year” honors for ten years by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. In fact, it appears that the more controversial the Cheyenne rodeo has become, the more the rodeo industry works to cover it up by throwing more awards their way.
Now we’ll wait for the Cheyenne Police Department to conduct an investigation and we’ll update this webpage as more information becomes available.
Click below to see SHARK's video of the brutal death of a horse named Strawberry Fudge at the 2009 Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo:
Horse Killed, Other Animal Casualties at 2009 Cheyenne Rodeo
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The animal hell that is the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo is ongoing and is taking its usual heavy toll on animals. Numerous calves and steers have been injured, but it took a horse named Strawberry Fudge taking a violent and fatal fall to finally get the Cheyenne area media to report an animal casualty. In fact, each of the first six performances of the Cheyenne Rodeo saw one or more dead or injured calves, steers or Strawberry Fudge carried out.
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Just minutes after the doomed Strawberry Fudge was removed from the arena, another horse crashed over a barrier, leaving her to run in a panic down the outfield of the arena until she crashed into another barrier where she was down for an extended period of time before finally leaving on her own. Any possible injuries to that horse are unknown at this time.
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SHARK investigators are filming the brutality of the Cheyenne Rodeo after the Cheyenne Frontier Days Committee retracted their initial camera ban. Although Cheyenne's new camera policy claims it won't allow "systematic retrieval of images from the rodeo." Cheyenne's policy also states it will not allow pictures or video to be used for "issue advocacy."
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We've included a link to an article about the death of Strawberry Fudge. To its credit, the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle newspaper wrote a great editorial criticizing the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo for its attempts to keep SHARK's cameras from exposing the truth about rodeo animal abuse.
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Comments to any/all of the news articles are allowed without sign-up. Please let the people of Cheyenne and all of Wyoming know your thoughts.
Here is an excerpt from the Wyoming Tribune Eagle about the Strawberry Fudge's fatal performance:
Strawberry Fudge, a 4-year-old mare owned by the Vold Rodeo Company, fell to the arena floor on its right side shortly after leaving the chute. It is suspected Stawberry Fudge suffered head and neck injuries... To read the entire article, click here.
Rodeo Fears SHARK's Investigative Documentation
Rodeo Fears SHARK's Investigative Documentation
LATEST NEWS - Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo organizers have yet another new camera policy:
Can I bring my camera to the rodeo or Frontier Nights events?
You may use photographs, videotape or digital images obtained from Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo solely for private or personal, non-commercial purposes only. Any other use, including for any commercial, issue advocacy or fundraising purposes, is strictly prohibited without our express prior written consent. Systematic retrieval of images from the rodeo, whether to create or compile, directly or indirectly, a collection or compilation is prohibited absent our express prior written consent.
The new policy demonstrates just how deathly afraid the rodeo mafia is of SHARK's video documentation. The truth hurts animal abusers, and never has that been clearer than in the case of the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo.
The Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo (CFD) has been known as one of the most cruel and brutal rodeos in all of America. That reputation changed slightly in 2008 with new rules instituted by CFD as a direct result of SHARK's investigations.
No longer does the rodeo allow animals to be shocked in the chutes. To CFD's credit they said they were banning the use of electricity to make the animals perform and they were to true to their word in 2008 - SHARK witnessed no animals being electroshocked.
However, the rodeo still allows the cruel practice of calf "jerk-downs", the so called Wild Horse Race, and the most brutal of all rodeo events - Steer Busting, which is still on the schedule for 2009. SHARK will continue to work tirelessly to end these inhumane practices.
All the graphic images shown on this site were documented by SHARK investigators at the Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) Rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009. The pictures and videotape tell the truth of what the rodeo was like as many animals were injured, abused, and even killed.
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Be prepared to see photos on this site taken by SHARK investigators that make the suffering all too clear. For a more extensive look at SHARK's documentation of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, click on the videos below and photo pages in the left column.
Sponsors and entertainers for CFD should be ashamed to support such abuse!
Check out the media coverage of SHARK v. CFD HERE
Read what a former CFD participant and volunteer has to say about the state of rodeo.
This infamous rodeo has been exposed once again brutalizing and maiming animals, illegally shocking horses, and lying to the public:
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Additional videotape documentation From Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo:
Must See to Believe: Helpless steers dragged to near-drowning by scared, out-of-control horses become a joke for Cheyenne Rodeo announcers who make wisecracks, while the crowds delights in the animals' misery. Announcer Justin McKee even applauds a judge for being "a little lenient" when it comes to so-called rodeo humane rules.
Horses Illegally Shocked: See some of the horses shocked at the Cheyenne Rodeo, and watch the rodeo judges ignore everything that is going on.
CFD Rodeo Announcer Lies to Audience: Cheyenne rodeo announcer Justin McKee is caught lying about animal injuries. As a dying calf is dragged out of the arena, McKee claims it is the first. Our video evidence proves what a lie that is, as four other calves were sledded out on the first day alone! 2007 Saddle bronc "Champion" Wins on Shocked Horse: Even the horse ridden by the "winner" of the Cheyenne Rodeo's saddle bronc competition was shocked, showing just how little it takes to be a "champion" in the world of rodeo. Rodeo "humane rules" are once again exposed as a complete fraud, as rodeo contestant Vin Fisher brutally kicks a steer in the ribs for not staying down. Not only is Fisher not penalized, but the crowd thinks it is terribly funny. That speaks volumes about both the rodeo and its supporters.Rank Killers or Gentle Giants?: SHARK investigators at the Cheyenne Rodeo utterly destroy the myth of the rank, mean, killer rodeo bulls. Watch as these big babies show that with caring people they are as tame as a feline family member.
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2) Rodeos hide the number of animals injured and killed.
3) Rodeo people consider animals to be disposable.
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Carrie Underwood: Star with a HeartForget all the propaganda rodeo people like to spew about how they "treat their animals better than their own children" because abused, shocked, and terrorized animals give them the results rodeos want.
The absolute worthlessness of the PRCA's "humane rules" is exemplified by the fact that the rodeo-sanctioning association gave Cheyenne Frontier Days the Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year award again. CFD received the PRCA award in 2005 after SHARK documented and exposed rules violations, animal injuries, and shocking abuses--resulting in the loss of Starbucks' sponsorship and Carrie Underwood's cancellation of her 2006 performance.
Then, unbelievably, after the explosive Wyoming Tribune-Eagle investigation of further PRCA rules violations, CFD was honored yet again with the PRCA's 2006 Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year.
That's the rodeo world for you: abuse animals, repeatedly break the rules, reap awards. The PRCA does a fine job of exposing their corruption all by themselves.
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The images that SHARK captures are virtually impossible to erase from one’s mind, but are truly impossible to erase from the lives of these animals, and indeed all the animals to come, as long as corporations support rodeo.
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To learn more about the rodeo industry's dirty practices go RodeoCruelty.com.
SHARK is a US registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity, which means your donation is tax deductible!
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Geneva, IL 60134
Tel: 630-557-0176
Send us an email: info@SHARKonline.org
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