SPCA disappointed calf roping could continue under proposed rodeo standards

Submissions can be made via the MPI website.

SPCA Senior Scientific Officer (Farmed Animals) Marie McAninch says the proposed changes from the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) are a step forward, but do not go far enough to protect animals used in rodeo events.

The proposals being consulted on include significant changes to rope and tie (calf roping) and steer wrestling events.

NAWAC proposes that cattle used in these events must remain standing after being brought to a stop, rather than being forced to the ground. In steer wrestling, competitors would no longer be permitted to twist an animal's neck.

NAWAC acknowledges these changes would require substantial modification to the events and could result in organisers no longer holding them.

However, SPCA says that the harm caused to animals is not just about physical injury. SPCA is deeply disappointed that, despite acknowledging newer scientific evidence of fear and distress in calves subjected to calf roping, the draft Code stops short of recommending that the event end.

"The Animal Welfare Act recognises distress as well as pain and injury. These are young, vulnerable prey animals being used in calf roping – they should not be separated, restrained, and chased for entertainment in the first place," Marie says.

"New Zealanders care deeply about animals, and our expectations for how they are treated continue to evolve. This year, commercial greyhound racing ended because New Zealand was no longer prepared to accept some of the welfare harms associated with animals being used for entertainment."

SPCA believes NAWAC has underestimated public concern about calf roping in particular. As far back as 2016, 63% of New Zealanders surveyed supported banning calf roping.

"The evidence tells us calves experience fear and distress during calf roping, so changing how they are brought to a stop doesn't solve the fundamental welfare problem," Marie says.

SPCA has advocated for stronger protections for rodeo animals for decades and continues to call for an end to events such as calf roping and steer wrestling. SPCA also calls for the updated Code to address other important welfare concerns.

This includes ending the use of flank straps and spurs, which are used during bucking events to encourage the bucking response, and an explicit requirement for adequate shade for animals held in yards and pens.

"Some rodeo events are unacceptable because of the fear and distress they cause, not just the risk of physical injury. If rodeo is to have a future in modern New Zealand, it needs to evolve with public expectations and leave practices like calf roping behind," says Marie.

Calf roping and steer wrestling do not reflect normal on-farm practice. Industry guidance emphasises calm, low-stress handling of animals. It is difficult to reconcile those expectations with chasing, roping and wrestling animals purely for entertainment.

You can make your submission now via the MPI website.