Rodeo in New Zealand

There are eight types of rodeo events held in New Zealand:

Bareback bronc (horses)
Saddle bronc (horses)
Steer wrestling (steers)
Bull riding (bulls)
Team roping (steers)
Rope and tie (calves)
Breakaway roping (calves)
Barrel racing (horses)

The types of injuries animals experience can include; 

• Ripped tendons 

• Broken bones 

• Horns fractured or torn off 

• Severe bruising 

• Organ damage 

Injuries are sometime so severe animals are euthanised as a result. During the 2024/25 rodeo season, five animals died. 

The Animal Welfare Act 1999 states that any physical handling of animals must be done in a way that minimises the likelihood of unnecessary pain or distress. Most rodeo practices therefore violate this legislation. 

Rodeo is already banned from all Auckland Council owned land, but the Animal Welfare Act will continue to be violated until a nationwide ban is imposed. 

New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act sets out the obligations of animal owners or people in charge of animals. The Act itself does not provide detailed requirements, instead these are outlined in supporting codes and regulations.  

Codes of welfare are developed by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) to establish minimum standards and recommended best practice, and provide guidance on how to comply with the Act.  

NAWAC has been responsible for producing a revised code of welfare for rodeo since 2022, and SAFE is calling on NAWAC and the Associate Minister for Agriculture (Animal Welfare) to release this revised code for public consultation as a matter of urgency.  

You can find more information on the Animal Welfare Act here  

Modern rodeo is based on activities found on ranches in the USA dating back to the 1700’s which grew into informal competitions. Rodeo events were only introduced in New Zealand in the 1960s and bear no resemblance to modern farming practices, nor best practice in terms of farmed animal welfare.  

Farming industry guidance advises using calm, measured stock people and well-designed yards to move and handle animals to minimise fear and avoid the ‘thrashing’ actions provoked at rodeos events. The way animals are handled in most rodeo events is not in line with good practice for the handling of horses, bulls, cows, and calves.  

Rodeo has been condemned internationally by veterinarians and animal welfare agencies for many years.  

Momentum has seen bans implemented in several international cities, states, regions, and countries where rodeo events had previously occurred. For example, in 2023 Los Angeles city council voted unanimously to ban rodeo events.     

Rodeo is already banned from all Auckland Council owned land, and most rodeo practices breach New Zealand’s animal welfare legislation – SAFE is calling for a ban on all rodeo events. 

SAFE is calling for a ban on all rodeo events. First, we need the revised rodeo code of welfare to be released.  

A draft revised code for rodeo was completed almost two years ago but no further steps have been taken by NAWAC or the Minister for Animal Welfare. This unnecessary delay is preventing New Zealanders from having their say, and puts the lives of animals being forced to participate in rodeo events at risk. 

Click here to find out how you can help.  

If a rodeo event takes place in your region, talk to people in your community about the animal welfare issues associated with rodeo and help spread the word that New Zealand needs to see these cruel events banned.