Letters
Letter to the editor: Ban the Mexican rodeo’s cruel “steer tailing” event
Back in 1994 California outlawed the Mexican charreada’s brutal “horse tripping” event. As a result, the U.S. Charro Federation changed their rules for the entire county. Progress!
Charreadas feature an even more brutal event, “steer tailing” (aka “colas” or “coleadero”), wherein a mounted charro grabs a running steer by the tail, wraps the tail around his leg, then rides off at an angle, slamming the hapless animal to the ground. Tails may be broken, stripped to the bone (“degloved”), even torn off. Horses may suffer broken legs when steers run the wrong way. “Steer tailing” is not a standard ranching practice anywhere in the U.S., and already banned in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties (1993), and Nebraska (2008).
It’s likely that passage of a California ban would result in a U.S. Charro Federation rule change banning “steer tailing” nationwide. Even Cesar Chavez was an outspoken critic. Deadline for bill introduction is February 16. Email pattern for all legislators:
County ordinances are also in order. Let your representatives hear from you!
Sincerely,
Eric Mills, coordinator, Action for Animals
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This citizen who was an active horse rider in her younger years and loved animals was deeply distressed when I viewed my first Rodeo and thought it one of the more cruel displays of man’s inhumanity to animals I had ever experienced. While admire horse riding skills, I was stunned to see ‘steer tailing’ and thought it so abusive that a young sentient animal practically had its tail torn off! This has no part in a supposedly humane festivity applauding the old WEST, and a practice never used in normal ranching. This should be outlawed as it is in some counties and States and other Countries! I appreciate your coverage of this display of male dominance over hapless animals and hope it gets the attention it deserves and is erased forever from Rodeo!
I agree wholeheartedly. This sadistic event is unacceptable. Period.