Bull-Riding Protest: Why?

The article is fairly short, but gives a few reasons on why some find bull riding cruel.

Article created: 01/21/2006 04:34:39 AM

Bull-riding show draws animal rights boosters

http://connpost.com/news/ci_3424079

AARON LEO aleo@ctpost.com

BRIDGEPORT — For bull-riders, it's about how long they can stay on a thrashing bull.

But for the bull, it's about getting out of a painful situation, according to several Connecticut-based animal rights groups.

About a dozen activists were protesting Friday night's bull-riding show at the Arena at Harbor Yard, staged by Professional Bull Riders Inc. The second and last show is scheduled for tonight.

The protesters said straps tightened around the bulls' midsections and 5,000-volt shocks make the bull buck.

Calling it a sport is bull, they said.

"A sport is two willing participants. Animals aren't willing participants," said Nancy Rice of Fairfield, who organized the protest.

Neil Hornish of Granby carried a sign that said, "You would buck too, after 5,000 volts." He is a member of the Compassionate Living Project.

Karen Laski added, "People think they just kick. They don't. They're hurting. They're in pain."

"Absolutely untrue," Traci Raymond, promotion manager, said when reached by phone late Friday.

"We treat the bulls with respect. They're athletes. They were bred to buck," she said. "This is what they are trained to do. They are not harmed in any way to make them buck."

Other animal rights groups attending were the Animal Rights Front and Compassion in Entertainment.

The protesters added that keeping and transporting the bulls in cramped quarters was cruel.

The signs advertised a Web site, sharkonline.org, which stands for "Showing Animals Respect and Kindness." The site showed videos of different types