Well, keep in mind Senator that groups like the VHS don't exist so much to benefit animals as they do to promote themselves. There's no real reason why a Vancouver humane society should be more interested in the Stampede than one from Edmonton, Toronto or Tokyo. Likewise, you don't see VHS making a fuss about the Ponoka Stampede. They focus on Calgary because it is the most important event of its kind in the world, and therefore stands as easy publicity. They really do want crashes like last night, because they otherwise would be irrelevant.
As far as demographics changing goes, 20,000 people attend the chuckwagon races, while about 8 people protest outside. The anti-chucks people are LOUD, but simply stating they are a minority is a considerable overstatement.
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