CalgaryStampede off to a bang-up start
By now we’ve all heard about the tragic death of a Thoroughbred at the Calgary Stampede who was part of a team of Thoroughbreds PULLING A CHUCKWAGON in the chuckwagon race.
By all that’s holy, what the hell are these people thinking?? Thoroughbreds pulling these heavy cumbersome wagons at a hell bent speed around barrels??
Thoroughbreds do not have the bone to take the pressure that this “sport” forces on the legs.
Thoroughbreds are built for speed but that speed is coupled with a very light rider on their back on a track that is built for them. Thoroughbred by nature are highly strung and to have them racing at a breakneck, or in this case breakleg speed, around a track in extremely close quarters is beyond insane.
Where in God’s name did these people get the idea that Thoroughbreds would be a great fit for this dubious sport??
One thing is for sure, if one dies, all they have to do is hit an auction and another poor, discarded Thoroughbred will find himself with a horrifying, new career as did this horse last week.
Hands up those who have seen Thoroughbreds successfully transition to racing around a track pulling a chuckwagon. Only in Canada, eh?
The real tragedy is that these chuckwagon races are not even based in reality. They never happened in the old West and certainly not in the Canadian west. The cowboys of yesteryear would never risk an expensive wagon and equally expensive horses doing such foolishness.
An article that appeared in the Calgary Herald may be a clue to this clueless thinking (remember, always follow the money).
New outrider rule puts emphasis on speed
By John Down, Calgary Herald
We noted this excerpt is here:
“He’s put three new horses into his outfit, including a couple of first-year steeds that have been giving him strong efforts. While he’s not where he’d like to be rolling into this chase for more than $1 million in prize money, it’s been far from a disaster as he holds down fourth spot in the world standings.”
Full story here: http://www.calgaryherald.com/outrider+rule+puts+emphasis+speed/5075746/story.html#ixzz1Rjjg6HBT
So, there you have it. Money over lives as usual.
$1 million in prize money – blows the mind.
What further sticks in my craw is the $5 million the Harper Government is providing for the 100th anniversary of this debacle.
Your money.
Our money.
Harper’s idea of budget constraint and being fiscally responsible.
Hee-haw.
Money is the reason US horses are still sent to slaughter in Canada/Mexico and flown to Japan.
If you want to know just what your US senator was given in payoffs to not cosponsor the anti-horse slaughter bill just go to maplight.org and type in the bill number. The highest paid senator was senator John Cornyn TX. This bribery blood money is called a donation to their reelection funds with a wink, wink and a nod. We all know what that is. The special interests don’t seem to pay to much attention to the representatives as they know bills can’t be passed if the US senate don’t like them.
check out the the pearls of wisdom from Temple Grandin. According to her there’s nothing wrong with the Stampede or at Calgary. The problem she states is in selective breeding, not in having the wrong horse for the wrong event. http://www.canada.com/sports/Stampede+horse+death+selective+breeding+Temple+Grandin/5078970/story.html
The real problem is all about the money and our faulty justice system. All animals are dependent on the person caring for them and it’s a sad state when our justice system gives a fine and a slap on the wrist for animal abuse. All the justice system seems to care about is that they get their money through fines imposed. Animals are like children and should be treated as such because they depend on us in the same way children do. Children and animals both are our responsibility that they not be abused and the justice system needs to impose the same penalties on animal abusers as they do on child abusers. There is no diff….they both depend on us for protection and they both feel pain the same way. One day Christ will return and set justice for all and then the justice system will see how wrong they really were. In the mean time all of us who do care need to step up and do what we can to change things.
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“Bless the Beasts and the Children, for in this world they have no voice, they have no choice…”
Okay, even though I think it’s barbaric, TB’s can pull wagons, easy peasy, IF they are the right type. But what I find really, really REALLY odd, is that draft-crosses are used in the bronc-riding, and TB’s are used in the chuck-wagon races. Kinda bass-ackwards, you ask me.