Animal activists gather to protest Calgary Stampede rodeo

A group of animal rights advocates from across Alberta gathered to protest the annual rodeo competitions at the Calgary Stampede.

More than a dozen people could be seen standing holding signs and banners on Macleod Trail, just across from Stampede Park on Saturday afternoon.

The group argues that aside from the risk of injury and death to the animals involved in the rodeo, it’s a major cause of stress for the animals used in events like calf roping, steer wrestling and chuckwagon races.

“We don’t want to see the Calgary Stampede stopped, we want to see the entertainment and all the rest of the fair and everything, but we want to see the animal cruelty stopped,” Heather Anderson the founder of the Daisy Foundation, an animal rights group, said.

The group said they will be back in the same spot on Sunday and on July 13 and 14 for the final weekend of Stampede.

In 2023, a horse was euthanized after it was injured during the chuckwagon races. It was the second death of a horse at the chucks since the Stampede changed the format to three-team heats to make them safer.

On its website, the Calgary Stampede said it works to constantly evolve and improve when it comes to the safety of its animals.

“We look to the advice of experts and the latest in science to better understand animal behaviour, response and performance related to western events,” the Stampede said.

“Throughout the year we consult with professional veterinary advisors, industry experts, world-class researchers and many other experts in livestock care, health and handling.”