The Vancouver Humane Society has compiled a list of animal deaths at the Calgary Stampede since 1986. The following is the Society's media release, in its entirety, from July 2013:
Definition of “stampede” from Webster’s dictionary; A sudden flight or rush of a number of frightened animals.
These statistics are from the Calgary Humane Society and/or the local media regarding the animals killed in these venues.
|
1986 |
12 (twelve) chuckwagon horses |
|
1987 |
1 steer (broken leg) euthanized 1 calf broken leg) euthanized 1 chuckwagon horse - collapsed and died 1 chuckwagon horse, broken leg, euthanized) |
|
1988 |
1 chuckwagon horse -broken leg euthanized |
|
1989 |
2 calves - broken legs euthanized |
|
1990 |
3 calves - broken legs euthanized 1 steer - broken leg euthanized 1 bucking horse euthanized 1 chuckwagon horse -broken leg euthanized |
|
1991 |
no fatalities reported |
|
1992 |
1 chuckwagon horse died |
|
1993 |
no fatalities reported |
|
1994 |
1 horse (novice bronc) broken hind leg euthanized |
|
1995 |
1 chuckwagon horse -broken leg euthanized 1 horse (novice saddle bronc) head injury, euthanized 1 horse (novice bronc) front leg, euthanized |
|
1996 |
4 chuckwagon horses killed, 1 down with a heart attack, 2 euthanized, 1 with broken neck and leg |
|
1997 |
1 chuckwagon horse died 1 bull euthanized after breaking his leg |
|
1998 |
no fatalities reported |
|
1999 |
2 chuckwagon horses euthanized |
|
2000 |
2 chuckwagon horses - 1 horse died of pulmonary aneurism; 1horse > euthanized (fractured front leg) |
|
2001 |
1 calf euthanized (broke right hind leg) in the calf roping event on July 8th 1 chuckwagon outrider horse euthanized July 15th (collapsed and broke right shoulder) |
|
2002 |
1 chuckwagon outrider horse died of a heart attack on July 5 after running in heat 1 5 chuckwagon horses killed 1 calf euthanized (broken leg) in the calf roping event |
|
2003 |
no fatalities reported |
|
2004 |
1 horse (broken leg in wild ride event) |
|
2005 |
9 horses killed in stampede on Bonnybrooke Bridge July 3 1 show horse, heart attack, July 8 1 calf, injured on July 8 1 chuckwagon horse, heart attack, July 15 2 chuckwagon horses (behind the scenes) |
|
2006 |
2 chuckwagon horses (July 7) heart attack, broken leg 1 chuckwagon horse (July 13) broke two bones in its lower left front leg on Gary Gorst's team |
|
2007 |
1 chuckwagon horse (Darcy Flad) euthanized 3 chuckwagon horses (Gary Gorst-July 14) |
|
2008 |
1 chuckwagon horse (Reg Johnstone) euthanized (July 10) |
|
2009 |
1 chuckwagon horse (Reg Johnstone) heart attack (July 5) 1 chuckwagon horse (Barry Hodgson) euthanized (July 7) 1 steer euthanized (July 9) 1 chuckwagon horse (Ray Mitsuing) heart attack (July 11)
|
|
2010 |
6 chuckwagon horses |
|
2011 |
2 chuckwagon horses |
|
2012 |
3 chuckwagon horses dead, 1 injured (lead dropped, others followed-outrider horse crashed into wagon at high speed) |
There have also been 2 human fatalities at the Chuckwagon races in this time frame:
- Outrider Eugene Jackson died on July 20, 1996 from head
injuries suffered from a spill on July 11, 1996.
- Wagon driver, Bill McEwen died July 11, 1999 of head
injuries received from a wagon crash on July 9, 1999.
**NOTE** There are literally thousands and thousands of animals used behind the scenes to perfect the “cowboys” rodeo skills. These figures do NOT include animals that were injured and/or killed for these practises.
