An 800kg bull named Thunder broke through a fence at the Far North rodeo in Kaitaia on 2 January in a desperate attempt to escape his torment in the rodeo arena.

Bulls are naturally social herd animals, yet in rodeo bull riding competitions they are singled out and provoked into fearful, reactive behaviour for the entertainment of a small minority.

SAFE campaign manager Emily Hall says rodeo holds no place in a society that values compassion for animals, particularly as it is promoted as a family friendly event.

"The pain and suffering inherent in the rodeo industry is absolutely appalling. During the last rodeo season five animals were killed due to lameness, dislocated limbs, and other severe injuries" says Hall.

"If animals were tormented and abused in this manner anywhere else there would be serious repercussions, so why is rodeo still getting a free pass?"

SAFE says Thunder’s desperate attempt to escape illustrates the torment of animals forced into the rodeo arena, pointing to comments made by Far North rodeo club president, Quinton King. Mr King has stated "He just wanted to get away. He wasn’t running towards people as such, he was trying to run away."

Rodeo has long been condemned by veterinarians and animal welfare agencies here in New Zealand and internationally. Most rodeo practices violate the Animal Welfare Act 1999 due to animals being subjected to extreme physical and psychological trauma.

"Our Animal Welfare Act states that the physical handling of animals must minimise the likelihood of unnecessary pain and distress, yet rodeo practices depend on force and rough handling" says Hall.

"We pride ourselves on being a nation of animal lovers, so we must move away from events that subject animals to extreme stress and violence and instead focus on events that promote positive community values."

With the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) currently preparing the revised Rodeo Code of Welfare, SAFE emphasises the updated code must bring the industry into line with the Animal Welfare Act.

"The release of the revised Rodeo Code of Welfare will allow Kiwis to voice their opinion on the future of cruel rodeo events" says Hall. "Public consultation is the vital next step."

SAFE is Aotearoa’s leading animal rights organisation.

We're creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.

Notes:

§ Five animals were killed during the 2024/25 rodeo season, between 29 December 2024 and 15 March 2025.

§ In July 2022, SAFE and the New Zealand Animal Law Association (NZALA) jointly contested rodeo in the High Court. The court ruled that the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) must determine appropriate animal welfare guidelines.

§ NAWAC is due to approve the final draft of the revised Rodeo Code of Welfare at it’s Mach 2026 quarterly meeting.

§ Whilst vets are required to be on-site at all rodeo events, rodeo clubs are not obliged to report injuries or deaths sustained during events.

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