Latest from Horse & Hound in Calgary-stampede

Two horses die at Calgary Stampede

Amy Mathieson — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 12:50:28 +0000

Once again the Calgary Stampede has come under fire from animal welfare campaigners after two horses died at this year’s event.

The two horses were put down after separate incidents in the chuckwagon competition at the event in Canada.

The first horse died on Saturday (4 July) after breaking a leg during the chuckwagon races, in which horses pull wagons round a figure of eight dirt track.

The 10-year-old thoroughbred fractured a cannon bone after making contact with another wagon.

“This is considered a serious injury; and unfortunately our veterinarian needed to euthanise the horse immediately,” Kurt Kadatz, spokesman for Calgary Stampede, told Canadian press.

The Stampede’s Chuckwagon Safety Commission stated that the second horse was injured in a collision between two wagons on Monday (6 July).

The horse was put down on Tuesday morning.

More than 60 horses have died in chuckwagon races at the event since 1986, according to an animals rights group.

A statement from the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) read: “Horses keep dying in this event and the Stampede is running out of excuses. It should be suspended immediately.”

The VHS is calling on the Stampede to establish an independent panel of equine experts to determine if anything can be done to make the race safer.

In the second incident the Safety Commission said that both the driver of the horse that died as well as the other driver were at fault.

If a horse dies the person at fault must pay the owner $10,000. But as they were jointly responsible the owner will only receive $5,000.

It was the first time a ruling of dual culpability since the Chuckwagon Safety Commission was set up in 2008.

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UK boasts world’s best farrier at Calgary

Caroline Bankes — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 12:25:26 +0000

A Yorkshire farrier is now world and UK champion.

Steven Beane won the World Championships for the fifth time at the Calgary stampede last month (3-6 July).

British farriers took the top eight placings in Calgary.

“It was very special as it is the last world championships at the Calgary stampede,” Steven told H&H.

And at the Royal Welsh Show (23 July) Steven went on to win the British Farriery and Blacksmiths Association (BFBA) National Championships in a tough competition.

“The horse I had needed a lot of corrective work,” he added.

The 35-year-old from Trenholme Bar in North Yorkshire has been shoeing for 17 years, and has two apprentices in training.

His wife Sarah-Mary Brown is also a farrier and competes in the Scottish team.

Both will be going to Stoneleigh on 26-28 September for the International Farrier Team Horse Shoeing Championships — Steven competing for England and his wife for Scotland.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (14 August, 2014 issue)

Chuckwagon driver handed record fine after horse dies

Horse & Hound — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:02:57 +0000

A chuckwagon driver at the Calgary Stampede has been fined a record $12,500 (£8,100) after a horse died at the event.

On Saturday (16 July) Cliff Cunningham was fined $12,500 after the chuckwagon safety committee determined he was to blame for the death of a fellow driver’s horse.

The horse — called Shooter which belonged to Jim Knights — was put down after breaking a leg during a chuckwagon race collision on Friday (15 July).

Mr Cunningham’s initial fine of $2,500 for “wagon interference” was increased to $12,500 after the committee reviewed video footage of the race.

“It was the judgment of the commission that the cause of the collision was clearly a case of driver error,” Doug Fraser from the Stampede organisers told local press.

“The commission wanted to send a strong message that action has consequences.”

Shooter was the second horse to die at the 2011 event. After six equine deaths last year an overhaul of animal welfare standards was undertaken.

Rule changes for Calgary Stampede following last year’s horse deaths

Horse & Hound — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 11:24:06 +0000

Rule changes have been introduced for this year’s Calgary Stampede (8-17 July) in Canada after six horses died at the event last year.

The changes, designed to improve safety, will be implemented into the Rangeland Derby — chuckwagon races — and the rodeo.

Four horses died in separate incidents in the chuckwagon races and two more as part of the rodeo in 2010.

Paul Rosenberg, vice-president of programming, told local press: “Our goal at the Stampede is to always have a safe and exciting show. We based the changes on a continuous review on what we could do to provide a safe and competitive environment. I think for the most part, the rule changes will be well-received.”

The number of outriders in the chuckwagon races will be reduced from four to two — meaning two riders and a driver in a team which will reduce the number of horses on the track. All horses will be checked before and after the races and enhanced track maintenance is also to be enforced.

Patricia Cameron from the Calgary Humane Society added: “We’ve been working with the Stampede over the past decade, working on safety issues with animals. We’re glad they’re taking a leadership role.”

British farriers triumph at Calgary Stampede

Amy Mathieson — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:26:23 +0000

British farriers swept the board at the 30th annual World Championship Blacksmith’s competition at the Calgary Stampede in Canada this month.

Four out of the five finalists came from the UK, while the fifth farrier although from Canada, trained in Britain.

Steven Beane from North Yorkshire was crowned world champion blacksmith and won $10,000 and two-time winner Darren Bazin from Northamptonshire was reserve. Mr Bazin was also named as shoeing champion at the event.

In third place was the UK’s Derek Gardner and fourth was six-time champion, Welshman Grant Moon.

Rookie of the year went to the UK’s Ben Casserly.

Stephen, who was reserve champion in 2005 and 2006 and came third in 2007, told H&H: “It’s unbelievable, but hasn’t really sunk in yet that I’ve won. I’ll definitely be back next year to defend my title.”

Points were amassed from a number of forging classes testing shoeing and shoemaking skills throughout the four-day competition, before the five farriers with the most points battled it out at the final on Sunday 5 July.

The classes were judged by Billy Crother from Wales and Jim Quick (America), on the preparation and balance of horses’ feet as well as forging, nail placement and finish of the shoe.

Organisers said it was the closest final in the event’s history.

“You can be very good in this industry, but when you make a sport out of it, it’s a whole different dynamic,” said Blaine Virostek, chairman of Stampede’s blacksmith committee.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (16 July, ’09)

Third horse death at Calgary Stampede prompts welfare debate

Horse & Hound — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:51:10 +0000

A third horse has died at the Calgary Stampede in Canada.

The horse collapsed and died of a heart attack on Friday night (10 July) after the fourth heat of the GMC Rangeland Derby.

A vet was called to the horse, who was ridden by an outrider in Ray Mitsuing’s team, after it died of a heart attack.

The Calgary Stampede ended on Sunday (12 July) but there has since been debate about animal welfare at the event after the deaths.

The previous Sunday (5 July) a horse belonging to Reg Johnstone died of a heat attack after the first heat of the chuckwagon race.

And on Tuesday (7 July) another chuckwagon horse, belonging to Barry Hodgson, was put down after breaking his near fore during the race.

A cow also died at the Stampede. It was put down after injuring its spine in a steer-wrestling event.

The Vancouver Humane Society condemned the deaths to The Canadian Press.

The spokesman for the society told the paper that the organisation believes public attitudes are changing and it’s time for rodeo officials at the Calgary Stampede to recognise this.

But Stampede president and vet Dr David Chalack told The Canadian Press it was an average year for animal deaths and rejected any suggestion that the public is turning against the rodeo events. He also added that officials were always looking into how to improve animal care.

“Regrettably, an animal will die from time to time,” said Dr Chalack.

“We work with the SPCA [Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] and the humane societies. Our image built over 97 years didn’t happen by being abusive to the very thing that makes us successful.

“I make my living by looking after animals and animal welfare. It’s number one on our priority list,” he said. “We’re continually looking at the rules and programming so that we strive to improve every year in all areas.”

Second horse dies at Calgary Stampede

Horse & Hound — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:52:10 +0000

A second horse has died at the Calgary Stampede in Canada this week.

On Sunday (5 July) a horse owned by Reg Johnstone collapsed and died of a heart attack after a chuckwagon race — where horses pull a covered wagon round a dirt figure of eight track.

And on Tuesday a second horse died, this time during the third heat of the same race — the GMC Rangeland Derby

Art, a seven-year-old horse owned by Barry Hodgson, broke his near fore leg during the race. It The horse was put down by a vet on the track.

Stampede officials said there was no crash or interference between the racing wagons that caused the injury.

Spokesman for the Stampede Doug Fraser told local press: “He was attended to and examined by a veterinarian and the decision was made to euthaniSze the animal to avoid further suffering.”

Horse dies in chuckwagon race at Calgary Stampede

Horse & Hound — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:46:23 +0000

A horse has died after a chuckwagon race at the Calgary Stampede in Canada.

The horse collapsed and died of a heart attack shortly after completing a race at the Calgary Stampede on Sunday night (5 July).

The race — in which horses pull wagons round a figure of eight dirt track — was the first heat of the GMC Rangeland Derby.

The horse, owned by championship driver Reg Johnstone, collapsed on returning to barn.

The horse was reported to have taken part in the race and post-race parade without showing any visible signs of stress.

A spokesman for the Calgary Stampede, called the death “a tragedy.”

“To lose an animal, regardless of the circumstances, is always difficult for the participants in the GMC Rangeland Derby, because these horses are treated like family,” he said to local press.

“The horse died relatively quickly so there was little the veterinarians could do to save it.”