While it's a source of entertainment for thousands of stampede goers, it's a source of anger for many animal lovers.
The tradition of calf roping has spawned another tradition; annual protests.
“We think we have right on our side,” says Peter Fricker of the Vancouver Humane Society. “We think it’s self-evident that if you chase an animal across an arena, rope it to a sudden halt at very high speeds, pick it up, and throw it to the ground it will cause fear, stress and pain. We think that's completely immoral and inappropriate for the 21st century.”
In a new ad campaign, launching Thursday, the Vancouver Humane Society compares a roped calf to a human child of the same age. The average age of a rodeo calf is three to four months old.
The Vancouver Humane Society says the Calgary Stampede “like all rodeos” is a cruel spectacle of animal abuse, and it considers calf-roping to be the most inhumane. Calves are sometimes killed or injured due to the sudden physical impact of the roping.
The organization is also concerned about that the calves being used as “prey” and being over-come with fear.
Farm animals in Canada do not fall under the same legal protection that pets do when it comes to cruelty laws.
The Calgary Humane Society says it is also opposed to calf roping, but instead of advocating for a ban, it focuses on regulating the rodeo event in an effort to minimize harm to the animals.
