Rodeo Persuasive Speech

Rodeo is one of the oldest sports to exist in the United States; with the first rodeo being held in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1872. Baseball is the only sport older than it. Today, many people and organizations are trying to shut down rodeo because they claim it is cruel to animals. The sport of rodeo is not cruel to animals through the care and treatment of the livestock and performance horses. Some say that rodeo is a cruel sport. For example, source C, “What’s Wrong with the Rodeo?” says, “Rodeo performers have been documented beating, kicking, and shocking normally docile cows and horses in chutes and holding pens,” (Source C). This person is incorrect because rodeo performers do not harm their horses or the livestock in any way. In barrel

They just pet him/her and tell themselves that the next run will go better. In the roping events, the steers or calves will sometimes will be shocked if they are not standing up right and they can’t get them up or if they don’t leave the chute good, but the hot shot is always the last resort and they never want to use it. In the roughstock events, the animals do not get shocked in the chute at all. Source D, “What is rodeo?” says, “Depending on the event, other equipment is designed strictly for the protection of an animal; i.e., skid boots for the back legs of calf roping horses that come to a fast and sliding stop; bell boots on the front leg ankles of barrel horses if the animals over reach with their back legs; a neck rope on a calf roping horse that

For example, Source F is a picture of a barrel racer. This barrel racer is Hailey Kinsel, the current arena record holder at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, which is home of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. In this picture Hailey is turning the first barrel. She is not yanking on her horses head, beating, or kicking her horse. She is just sitting in the turn and helping her horse just a little, but she is mostly letting the horse do its thing. What some people do not understand that these horses are loved so much. It doesn’t matter whether it is a barrel horse of rope horse. After they work, we pet them, give them treats, let them relax, and sometimes they get a massage or ice on their legs. Source A, “The Sport - the Life- of Rodeo” says, “Just like in basketball, there is a team. My team consists of my horses, my parents and everyone who helps me keep my horses working, including my vet ad my farrier, who shoes the horses,” (Pallesen). In high school rodeo, I always do anything to make my equine athletes feel their best. Our horses travel together so much that they pretty become a team. My horses, parents, and myself are a great team. My parents and I take care of the horses, while the horses take care of us. The horses love their job and being able to have one instead of doing nothing. They love to travel and please me in any way they can. This is why I think that the